Flashback
by bby adorkable
Summary: ON HIATUS. During the 3 year gap, the genin who remained in Konoha after Naruto left encounter their own adventures and come across changes in their lives. Although it's a bit NejiTen centric, it follows the manga and its hinted pairings very loyally.
1. Prologue

Hello readers! This is my very first attempt at a Naruto Fanfic, so please be gentle!

I've tried my best to stick to the manga and the real facts as much as possible, but everyone makes mistakes. So, feel free to point out where I've screwed up at and please, please, please, more than anything, leave a comment! THANK YOU!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Prologue

Everything in this prologue takes place BEFORE the end of the first Naruto manga. The actual story starts right after the manga ends. Enjoy!

* * *

In all the years it had been around, Konoha hospital had never seen a busier day. Anyone available, be it an apprentice or medic, was called on to help. Amidst all the chaos, no one noticed a single kunoichi sitting nervously outside an operation room. 

Her hands wrung nervously in her lap; her legs wouldn't stop shaking. It wasn't too hard to tell she was weak from lack of sleep. Her light brown hair, usually neat and tidy, now hung in two loose buns. She hadn't bothered to push aside her bangs, which were now sprawled out across her face, partially covering one eye.

Despite the state she was in, the young genin remained determined to stay where she was.

Why?

It was simple, really. Her teammate, and probably the person she admired the most, although she would never admit it, was lying behind those closed doors, unconscious. She shuddered at the sight of him she'd seen earlier, right when he had been carried through the large gates of Konoha.

She had only caught a glimpse of him, since he was surrounded by medic-nins, but one glimpse had been enough. She had seen him lying unconscious on a stretcher, his clothes bloody and torn.

The first thing that caught her eye had been the holes.

Not just the ones in his clothes, lightly tearing the fabric, but the ones that had been ripped through his body, shredding bits of flesh. Her trained eye told her they were clean shots; one weapon per hole.

She had been given no time to think about his wounds, for a nearby medic-nin had yelled at her to get out of the way. Still in shock, she had absentmindedly moved to clear a path for the medic team, then followed them into Konoha hospital.

And here she was now, 13-year-old Tenten, sitting anxiously outside the room that belonged to Hyugga Neji. Tsunade had been by a few minutes ago and had informed her that Neji would be allowed visitors that afternoon. She'd also advised Tenten to go home, get some rest, and come back later.

But she was not one to follow directions. Tenten had sat firmly outside those doors, determined to stay a few more hours until she could finally see her teammate.

Her mind was fuzzy and there was no way for her to count the number of hours she'd been up. A day? Two? Probably more, but it didn't matter. She'd never sleep again if only Neji would be ok.

Approaching footsteps caused Tenten's head to snap up, and she saw a blur of pink, followed by blonde, rushing down the hall. Sakura and Ino, no doubt. Tenten knew at once that the two younger girls were on their way to visit injured teammates as well. She'd heard two nurses discussing Chouji's condition and Naruto's return.

There was no time to ponder upon these thoughts, for at that very moment, the doors opened and two serious-faced medics emerged, followed by Shizune. Ignoring her fatigue, Tenten jumped up and quickly approached the trio, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Without needing to be asked, Shizune nodded and Tenten quickly thanked her before rushing into the room.

It was dark inside.

Not just darkness without light, but a tangible darkness that made it seem like the world was over.

Tenten stiffened as she slowly approached where she guessed the bed would be. Unfortunately, it was wrong. She winced as her knee came in contact with the bed's metal leg, and she quickly reached out her arms before taking another step. Her fingers brushed against a metal pole, telling her that it was the foot of the bed. She traced the bars around to the other side and paused, gently placing a palm on the bed sheets. They were soft and comforting, and the mattress sank under her fingers.

Eyes still unadjusted, Tenten blindly felt her way toward the other end of the bed, only to bang into the bedside table. She hissed as the edge of the table sank into her stomach, then silently scolded herself for being so clumsy. She was tainting the very definition of being a shinobi.

"You're noisy", a quiet voice spoke up, the owner obviously amused. Tenten froze at these words and turned her head in the direction they'd come from, only to realize that she couldn't see in the dark.

"Neji?"

"Here", Neji replied, his voice returning to its usual stoic tone. Tenten slowly let out the breath she'd been holding and closed her eyes.

Well, at least he could talk.

She was thankful that in the darkness, she couldn't see the extent of Neji's injuries, though the pain in his voice, however he tried to hide it, was apparent.

"I'm just glad you're finally conscious", Tenten finally said. There was no reply and a wave of fear washed over the kunoichi. Had she spoken too soon?

"Neji? Are you still -"

"Yeah, I'm thinking".

Tenten frowned as she was abruptly cut off, a mix of indignation and terrible disappointment swirling inside her. It was ridiculous, really, that even when he was lying in a hospital bed after a near-death incident, Neji could still make her feel like the biggest idiot in the world.

At the same time, just the thought of her teammate even being in a hospital at all brought Tenten near tears. She'd grown up in the academy alongside Neji, believing him to be near invincible. He had graduated as the top rookie, after all. But now, after she'd seen him in that terrible condition while being carried through the Konoha gates, Tenten felt fear. If Neji, _the_ Hyugga genius, had been reduced to this state, what hope was there for her?

She quickly pushed aside the negative thoughts and snapped back to the present, only to realize that it was pointless to do so. In fact, Tenten realized that her entire wait at the hospital had been, needless to say, wasted. Really, now that Neji's condition had improved, what did she expect to happen? It wasn't like he was going anywhere soon, and she obviously didn't expect him to jump up and hug her. That was something Lee would do.

_You didn't even think about it._ A voice chided in her head. _You forget everything just so you can rush over here, and now what? He's completely ignoring you, just like always._

Tenten narrowed her eyes at the annoying voice and tried to make it go away. She failed. It continued to nag at her, until Tenten fully believed she had absolutely no reason to stay any longer. She reached out an arm to find the bed's railing, but stopped when she heard her name called out so quietly, she thought she'd imagined it. Nope, there it was again.

"Do you need something?" she asked.

"Where are you going?" It wasn't really a question, but more of a demand.

"Anywhere. I'm allowing you to think", sarcasm laced her words. As unprecedented as it was, Tenten wanted to, for lack of better word, "piss" Neji off. He'd done it to her so often, she couldn't help but jump at the chance, even if it meant taking advantage of the fact that he was bandaged from head to toe.

She waited to see if he would respond, but Neji had fallen silent. With gritted teeth and a sinking heart, Tenten blindly made her way out of the room.

**

* * *

**Despite the warm sunshine and soft singing of birds that filled the sky with joy, the young shinobi could not bring himself to enjoy it. He was still stuck in the hospital bed, the white sheets tangled between a pair of bandaged legs. His blond spiky hair fell into his eyes, but he made no move to push them aside. It wasn't like he needed his vision right now anyways. 

His hands gripped his knees tightly, knuckles turning white form the pressure. His shoulder shuddered from the silent tears that refused to fall. He had failed. He had promised Sakura, but he had failed.

Naruto sniffed quietly as his mind remembered the events of the previous days. Everything was a blur, but amidst the fuzzy pictures and sounds, he could clearly remember every detail of what his former teammate, no, friend,, had transformed into. The image of Sasuke with gray skin and those huge wings was burned into his memory.

_I __**Will**__ bring him back_. He thought.

A sudden gust of wind entered the room and his head snapped up just in time to see Jiraiya seated comfortably along the windowsill. Naruto felt a sudden surge of energy run through his body and immediately demanded another change to go after Sasuke, but the renowned Sannin shook his head.

He filled Naruto in on the rules of body transferring, assuring him that Sasuke's body would not be in danger until after another three years.

Somewhat reassured by this information, Naruto dropped the subject of Sasuke and demanded that "Ero-sennin had to train him". The older man nodded, knowing that even if the kid had not asked, he would have trained him anyways. Now, feeling hopeful again, Naruto laid his head back on the pillow and watched as Jiraiya floated away from the window. His eyelids felt heavy and before he was aware of it, Naruto fell asleep, exhausted.

* * *

As days merged into weeks, the occupants of Konoha hospital began leaving. They healed, they graciously thanked the medics, and they went home. 

For a while, things seemed to return to normal. Naruto was back to visiting the Ichiraku Ramen shop everyday, and Hinata was back to stalking him. Sakura, whose initial shock had faded away, began her apprenticeship under the Godaime. Ino continued working at the Yamanaka flower shop, taking breaks in between to go on missions or have lunch with Chouji and Shikamaru. Kiba and Shino often went training with Kurenai, and Lee bonded with Gai-sensei even more by attempting their first A-rank mission. Needless to say, they returned home beaten and battered, but with a triumphant "spring-time of youth" look on their faces.

As for Neji and Tenten, the tensions between them faded and they returned to the normal routine of training by day and eating out at night. Although neither dared to bring up the subject of Sasuke, or anything related to the incident, Tenten was unable to calm her mind.

Night after night, as she watched Neji walk off toward the Hyugga estate after dinner, she'd have a moment of panic, during which all sorts of violent scenes crossed her mind. She only relaxed when she saw that Neji had safely entered the gates of his home.

Then, shakily, Tenten would return to her own house for another nightmare-filled five or six hours of sleep. Her paranoia and jumpiness worsened over time, but Tenten kept it all to herself. She didn't have anyone to tell, and besides, anyone she told would simply say she was overreacting. As long as nothing happened during the day to give her away, everything would be fine.

So, things settled down and returned to normal, until Jiraiya returned from one of his infamous "research" trips and found Naruto hanging out in Tsunade's office, beggin to see his "Sakura-chan".

He approached the young genin and, with a mysterious smile, announced it was time to leave. Naruto perked up immediately at the word "training" and rushed home to pack. In all his life, Jiraiya had only seen one person move faster, and that was Tsunade, when she attacked him after discovering that he had been hiding in her bathroom.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared from the peaceful Konoha sky, Naruto and Jiraiya set off beyond the gates and into the forest. They would be absent for almost three years, and during this time the hidden village of Konoha, despite its small size, would experience the greatest changes of all.


	2. Chapter 1

I must say, I feel very disappointed that this hasn't gotten any reviews yet. I don't know if there's a setting that doesn't allow reviews, or if no one felt like reviewing b/c my writing sucks, or if no one's really come across this story yet because there's only been a chapter up. But it doesn't matter, because I'll just keep trying to write better and hopefully, I'll start getting reviews, because that's my way of the ninja!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

Distracted by the disappearance of the last Uchiha and the absence of the loud-mouthed, hyperactive shinobi, the other genins were surprised to find that the Chunnin exams had arrived so soon. Konoha was, once again, the host village this year.

A month before the first exam, Kakashi and Asuma had called together their genin and merged them into a new team of three for the exam. They were given a month to be better acquainted with each other and to learn how to work together.

Shikamaru, already a chunnin, was replaced by Sakura on his team. After learning of this, the pink-haired kunoichi sat down beside Ino and Chouji and smiled weakly. She could still remember the time she was in the academy and had first discovered her teammates would be Sasuke and Naruto. But, that was way back when and she knew now wasn't the time to dwell on the past.

Tilting her head to the left, Sakura looked at Ino and smiled. They'd been rivals for so long, it was time to put aside differences and work together. Sounds corny? Well, yeah, but it was true.

"Truce?" she offered. The blonde nodded and the two girls exchanged another smile before directing their attention to Chouji, who was busy polishing off his last bag of chips.

* * *

The month of training flew by and Sakura quickly found her role on the team. She had put aside the medic training for the moment and concentrated on learning to fit in with team 10. She replaced Shikamaru's shadow jutsu by physically holding the enemy in place, while Ino used her mind transfer jutsu and Chouji finished it all off. They developed different formations and realized that, despite the different teams they'd come from, working together was very possible. 

Two days before the first exam would take place, Sakura was greeted by the arrival of Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. She'd been on her way to Tsunade's office, when approaching footsteps caught her attention and she turned to find herself an inch away from a pair of dark, insomniac eyes.

Her first reaction was to scream. As skilled and trained as she was, Sakura was still a girl who valued her personal space. She quickly stepped out of the way to let Gaara pass, then blushed as Temari gave her a look.

Careful to tread several steps behind the sand siblings, Sakura followed them to Tsunade's office. The Hokage invited all four genin in and gave them a pleasant talk about the upcoming chunnin exam. They were sent home shortly after to get some much needed rest. This year's exam, according the Tsunade, would be "unprecedented".

* * *

Shikamaru leaned back and looked up at the clouds. Beautiful. The figure beside him shifted slightly and he turned to look at her. 

"Another year, huh?" Tsunade smiled lightly at the chunnin beside her. Shikamaru nodded.

His teammates, and Sakura, of course, were probably just getting ready to start the first exam. He knew that if the exam this year was anything like last time, the teams would breeze by the written exam.

"You seem relaxed", Tsunade noted.

"Well, I can't say I'm worried", Shikamaru replied. The Godaime nodded in agreement. They both knew what the rest of the genins were capable of, and they were both confident in their success.

* * *

More experienced than the previous year, the group of Genin passed the first exam quickly and prepared to head out into the Forest of Death. Hinata walked nervously between Shino and Kiba, gently cradling Akamaru in her arms. They approached the tall gates along with the other teams and waited for the examiner to arrive. 

"Are we ready to do this?" Ino turned to her two teammates and flashed them a smile. Chouji nodded as he pulled open a bag of chips; Sakura looked away.

She hated this forest more than anything. This was the place where her team had first met Orochimaru. This was the place where Sasuke got that stupid curse seal, and she wanted nothing to do with it.

"Sakura?" Ino gently shook her friend by the shoulder and the pink-haired kunoichi snapped her head up. She nodded, faking confidence, and her two new teammates seemed to believe it.

Anko arrived shortly and the gates burst open as each team of genin, encouraged by the fact that they'd passed the first exam, rushed in to continue on their way to bettering themselves.

* * *

Deep within the trees outside of Konoha, two dark figures crawled along the forest floor. Their thin shadows, showing more than just the normal pair of arms and legs, crept silently, avoiding the fallen leaves. They approached a lifeless body on the floor and one of the figures stepped closer. 

"Kidomaru", the other figure murmured sadly.

"He's still alive", the first figure bent down and pressed his ear against Kidomaru's chest. There was a fain heartbeat, but he knew it was hopeless.

"Who...who did this?" the second figure shuddered at the sight of one of her own kind. She kneeled down beside Kidomaru and gently took his hands into hers. A groan caught her attention and she leaned forward.

"Leiko… Lei -", Kidomaru's eyes were barely opened as he called the girl closer. She gave a soft gasp, her own extra arms clasping around his weakened body. They were of the same clan, lovers, in fact, and she couldn't stand to see him like this.

"This is what happens when you run away and join Orochimaru!" she cried softly.

"No. I was… I made it into the sound five, Leiko. I have no regrets", Kidomaru sighed softly before noticing the other figure that had stood, watching quietly this whole time.

"Kanaye… my brother", Kidomaru beckoned him closer.

"Who did this to you?" Kanaye narrowed hi eyes. Kidomaru opened his mouth to speak, but a jet of blood sprayed out and he choked on his words.

"Who?!" Kanaye grasped his brother's hand and Leiko gave a sharp cry. Kidomaru looked at the two people kneeling beside him with sad eyes. The beautiful girl, Leiko, who had once been his bride-to-be, and his ever-faithful younger brother, Kanaye. He'd left them both to join Orochimaru, and now, they'd found him inches away form death.

Ironic, isn't it?

He could feel the world around him grow fuzzier as the last bits of Chakra faded from his body.

"Who was it?! We'll kill him!" Kanaye yelled.

Kidomaru, using the last bit of strength he had, closed his eyes and whispered his murderer's name.

"Hyugga Neji"

* * *

Neji leaped from one branch to another, Tenten and Lee on either side of him. They had been in the forest of Death for two days and had encountered several enemies. It was just their luck that they all had the same scroll. 

"What if all the Earth scrolls are gone?" Tenten wondered out loud, closing her hands tightly around the heaven scroll they had been given.

"No! Tenten, you must always remain optimistic, for our youthfulness will definitely help us win!" Lee cheered. Neji narrowed his eyes at the chattering of his teammates and moved even faster. His byakugan suddenly picked up movements and he stopped.

"What is it?" Tenten asked quietly, landing beside her teammate.

"There's a team over there", Lee whispered, landing beside her and pointing to a clearing only a bit away from them. They jumped off the branches and began walking towards the team, careful to hide their movements.

"Wait", Neji reached out an arm and blocked his teammates. He motioned for them to hide behind a tree, then explained, "the wind is blowing towards them.. They'll pick up our scent like this".

"We have to go around", Lee concluded, nodding his head. They moved to the other side of the clearing and crouched behind a row of bushes, watching carefully. A blur of orange crossed Lee's line of vision, followed by a flash of blond.

"Naruto!" he immediately perked up, only to be quickly pushed back down by his teammates.

"Baka! Naruto isn't even taking the exam!" Tenten scolded. Lee looked again and signed sadly. It was just a boy in an orange shirt followed by a second boy with blond hair.

"Wait. Where's their third member?" Neji frowned.

"Looking for me?" a feminine voice, several pitches too high for comfort, spoke up behind the Konoha genin. The speaker was a tall, thin girl, sporting long brown hair and a grass forehead protector around her waist. She smiled upon seeing Neji and boldly held out her Earth scroll.

"I'll fight you for it", she spoke only to Neji, but her eyes had shifted to the Heaven scroll in Tenten's possession.

"Yes! Let us do battle for the scrolls!" Lee yelled, punching a fist into the air. The girl gave him a cold look and took at step closer to Neji, sticking her scroll out further towards him in a taunting manner. Neji looked at Tenten and she nodded in agreement, tucking her scroll safely in her pocket before pulling out several weapons.

"Whoa, wait a sec", the girl whined, her high voice growing even shriller, "My teammates are too lazy to help, so this is just going to be a one-on-one thing, you know, to be fair".

She looked at Neji suggestively, but his white eyes glanced past her and at his own female teammate, giving her a slight nod. Tenten smiled back; they had encountered these scenarios before, where fangirls attacked Neji in different ways. This was, however, the first time a girl had challenged Neji in a battle.

"One-on-one", Neji nodded, looking back at the girl. She smiled triumphantly and shook her hair back in a flirty manner.

"Well then, I'm Izanami and I'm – "

"You're going to be fighting her", Neji interrupted, pointing to Tenten. The look on the grass kunoichi's face was priceless and Tenten could barely suppress her laughter. Another girl, just like the countless who wanted to impress Neji, would have to go through her first.

"Fine", Izanami frowned and followed Tenten to the clearing where the two boys, the one with the orange shirt and the one with the blond hair, stood. They saw their female teammate and looked at her questioningly.

"I will fight the girl for her scroll", she announced. _And for her guy_. She added silently.

"Tenten smirked and readied her weapons. Kunai in one hand, shuriken in the other. She figured she'd start with the basic weapons to see what this girl was capable of.

And, she found out soon enough. Pathetic. Truly, pathetic. The fight was over before it started, for the first shuriken Tenten threw, just to test the waters, grazed the girl's leg and she began howling in pain. Her two teammates quickly carried her off, leaving the Earth scroll behind.

"You've got to be kidding me", Tenten muttered, picking up the Earth scroll and tucking it in with the Heaven one. "Let's go".

"We can't keep both scrolls together", Neji held out his hands and Tenten, grumbling to herself, pulled out the Earth scroll and handed it to Neji.

"Yosh! We have completed the collecting of the scrolls", Lee exclaimed, "Let us go to the tower!"

Neji raised an eyebrow, but followed his teammates. They arrived within the next day.


	3. Chapter 2

Four reviews. Well, better than zero, I suppose.

But...for the people who_ did_ review...

too-much-romance: thanks for the first review. I totally understand your criticism, and I'm trying to work it out my own way while following your advice.

Sailor Kunoichi: yes, there shall be more grins

LaZyFMAgirl: no worries! Nejiten will certainly be developing, although if this sticks to the manga, there can't be _too much_ development.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

Upon entering the stone room inside the tower, Neji and his team were met with familiar sights. Like the year before, his cousin and her two weird animal-obsessed teammates, or at least that's what Neji thought of them, were already there, waiting patiently and looking a bit worn out. 

_She's improved_. Neji thought silently, observing Hinata's various wounds. They were signs that she was at least doing something, _instead of just being infatuated with that Naruto. _Neji smirked at his own silent comments.

"Neji-nii-chan". Hinata greeted her cousin.

"Hinata-sama", Neji nodded, "who else has arrived already?"

"Well, the sand siblings were reported to have arrived within the first hour, and there is a team from the rock here and a team from the mist", Hinata replied politely.

"So how many more teams will join us?" Lee asked.

"Depends. Something could happen to the remaining scrolls," Neji shrugged. There was nothing else to say, so the group fell into silence and simply sat and waited. And waited.

"It's unlikely that all the other scrolls were somehow destroyed, isn't it?" Tenten wondered out loud, glancing at the door.

"Do not believe that, Tenten!" Lee replied enthusiastically. And, miraculously, Lee was right for once.

On the last day, without a warning, the doors burst open and the last two teams stepped inside.

"Why, fellow Konoha shinobi! You have made it as well!" Lee exclaimed, jumping up to greet Chouji. The latter gave Lee a strange look, then trudged inside, followed by Ino and Sakura and a trio of grass ninjas, who looked more than worn out.

"Sakura-san! The most beautiful flower!" Lee grinned and took a step towards Sakura, who instinctively backed away.

"Hey", she greeted breathlessly, before collapsing on the floor in exhaustion.

* * *

After reviving Sakura and gathering the rest of the six teams into a large room, the Godaime began to speak. She congratulated the genin on passing the first two exams, then explained the rules for the preliminary matches and the third exam matches. She talked smoothly, ignoring the shocked stares of the first-time exam takers and the smug smiles of the genin who had taken the exam before and knew exactly what to expect. 

In reality, none of the genin would be prepared for what would happen this year. She had added a new twist to the fighting this year in order to see what the genin would do, and she had to admit that despite everything she had already seen in her life, this would be one of the most interesting events.

"Alright, there's one additional rule that has been added this year", she announced, "Instead of the usual one-on-one matches that take place during this last exam, we will be randomly assigning you to fight in pairs. This tests your teamwork and ability to communicate with others, regardless of whether you've worked with them before or not!"

The announcement was met with grumbles and confused remarks. It seemed impossible for the candidates to understand how they could work with someone who they knew nothing about.

"This is ridiculous!" an annoyed voice rang out. All occupants of the room fell silent and turned to look at the speaker, a haughty looking ninja from the rock. "I quit".

The rock-nin left the room, slamming the doors behind him. A jounin standing behind Tsunade began heading for the door as well, but the Godaime stopped him.

"If he doesn't wish to continue the exam, there's nothing we can do", she said quietly, "From here on out, each individual decides whether they pass the exam or not". The jounin nodded and the room erupted into commotion again.

"Ok, be quiet! Your examiner is Kamizuki Izumo, and here are the pairs", Tsunade motioned to the screen on the opposite side of the room, which now began shuffling the names of all the participants and pairing them together.

"C'mon… c'mon…Chouji or Sakura, or someone I know", Ino muttered under her breath, "Huh? Kiba? Oh geez".

_Crap! Who the heck is that?_ Sakura frowned, reading the foreign name directly under hers. She looked around to see if she could spot someone who would fit the name, but had no such luck. _Definitely not someone from Konoha_, she thought, _after all, I'd know who they were_.

"Hey, looks like we got paired together", Tenten smiled at the screen as she approached her teammate.

"Hn", Neji nodded.

"This is so stupid", Sakura muttered under her breath as she stalked to the back of the room to observe the people in her room. "It has to be one of them, but this is so dumb! I can't even tell if it's a girl name or boy name!"

"Are you… Sakura?" a muted voice, thick with an unrecognizable accent, approached Sakura and she turned, her initial glare melting into an awkward smile. The speaker was a slender male with thick, long hair, eyes that were clone's of Sasuke's, and a mist forehead protector around his waist. As much as his eyes minded her of Sasuke, Sakura couldn't help thinking there was something creepy about this guy.

_Maybe he's gay._

The rest of the genin finished finding their partners and moved to various corners to meet their new teammate.

* * *

The room was silent as the first two pairs stepped down from the balcony and onto the fighting area. On one side, Sakura and her creepy, gay-ish partner took their stance. On the opposite end, a ninja from the rock and a second mist-nin faced them. The examiner stood between the pairs, toothpick in mouth, wry smile on his face. 

"Begin".

The fight started immediately, but soon entered a deadlock. The two mist ninjas knew each others' movements all too well and neither team could gain an advantage. As she landed on her butt beside her teammate, Sakura motioned for the mist-nin to get closer. "This isn't working", she muttered, "I'll take on the mist-nin over there, and you get the rock guy".

Her partner nodded and Sakura took off again, shoving a chakra filled fist into the opposing mist-nin's face. She landed a clean shot, and the opponent toppled back towards the rock-nin, who stood, stunned for a moment. He moved just in time to avoid a shower of needles, but couldn't escape the explosion from under his feet as Sakura sent her fist into the ground. The rock-nin managed to land in the corner of the stadium and quickly took in the current situation.

The middle portion of the fighting ground was destroyed, and his partner was lying unconsciously on the floor. Across from him, the pink haired kunoichi and the long-haired mist-nin stood, watching him intently.

_SHIT_. He decided his best bet would be to take out the girl first, because her extreme strength seemed to hinder him the most. The rock-nin quickly scouted the setting and noticed the rocks and debris scattered about the arena from Sakura's most recent attack. He could definitely use those to his advantage. Forming a few, quick hand seals, the rock-nin concentrated on the rocks around him as well as the ones behind his opponents.

Using his chakra, the rock-nin drew the rocks together with a magnetic force, causing the ones beside him and the ones beside Sakura to rush toward each other with incredible speed and strength. Most of them were dodged, but a couple managed to graze Sakura along her cheeks. She quickly moved out of the way as a new set of rocks repeated the attack, but was oblivious to the rocks under her that the rock-nin had simultaneously prepared.

Taking this opportunity, while his opponent was distracted, the rock-nin sent the underground rock through the arena floor, pinning Sakura's thin frame to the ceiling for a split second before she fell to the ground.

The rock-nin then turned his attention to his other opponent, who seemed shocked that his partner was lying in a heap on the floor. He quickly set out a shower of needles, but the attack was blocked by a bunch of small pebbles.

As if on cue, the two genin threw aside their long range weapons and began a series of close combat. They rushed towards each other, kunais in hand, but without any real intention of killing. _That won't get them anywhere_, Sakura thought as she slowly sat up and watched the two fight.

_You have to come at me with an intent to kill_. Kakashi-sensei's words, from their first day of training as team 7, echoed in Sakura's mind and she sat up and took in a deep breath. She wanted to win this. She _had_ to win this. She had to get stronger so she could get Sasuke back. And at the moment, that stupid mist-nin wasn't helping much. He was just like Naruto, charging in head-first without thinking.

Grumbling to herself, Sakura stood up and decided to end the fight at once. She eyed the fight carefully and found an opening; the two shinobi were battling and focused on each other and thus, they weren't paying attention to the area beneath them. Sakura pulled out a kunai and took aim.

The sharp, metallic blade of the kunai embedded itself in the rock-nin's leg, immobilizing him for a moment. Inner Sakura cheered. _Step one: success!_ Sakura then quickly approached the rock-nin, taking this moment to quickly land several punches while his mind was still on the kunai in his leg. _Step two: success… again! _The rock-nin bounced backwards and drew out the weapon, allowing blood to gush down his legs. It was just a minor injury and he had no choice but to ignore it.

"Don't just stand there!" Sakura called out to the mist-nin, very annoyed that he still wasn't doing much. There was little reply, so Sakura decided to finish it off herself. After all, it wasn't like she needed anyone's help. The next punch she landed on the rock-nin was the last one; he was sent flying to the opposite end of the arena and crashed into the wall, causing a rumble to spread throughout the room. Izumo raised his hand and monotonously announced the winners as Sakura beamed and the mist-nin beside her smiled a little.

After the pair returned to their original positions on the balcony and the team that had lost was carried away on stretchers, the rest of the examinees turned their attentions to the screen, which was now shuffling the pairs for the next fight.

"Looks like we're up!" Tenten smiled at Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy looked at his teammate, then eyed their opponents and nodded.

* * *

So. Um. I know this is supposed to be focused on Nejiten, and don't get me wrong, because it IS, but this chapter sorta turned out to be mostly about Sakura. But then again, this fanfic IS, at the same time, supposed to mention ALL the characters, so in a way, my actions are justified! 

But, don't worry. The next chapter will be ALL about Neji and Tenten. I promise!

OH, one question! Would you guys prefer it if I wrote out ALL the fight scenes? or just did the NejiTen one and then ended the chunnin exams?


	4. Chapter 3

Yay! Lots of Neji and Tenten, so… enjoy!

* * *

Disclaimed: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

The room buzzed with anticipation as Neji and Tenten stepped down from the balcony and onto the fighting area. They exchanged looks and mentally prepared one last time for the upcoming fight. On the other side, a rock-nin and a mist-nin stepped down from their respective positions and gave each other a quick nod.

"It seems like we have the advantage", Tenten observed, "It's harder for them to work together when they don't even know each other".

"No. They do; they both use long range attacks", Neji corrected. Tenten gave him a confused look, but didn't have a chance to ask anything because just then, the examiner called, "begin!" and the two opponents immediately began their attacks.

A shower of rocks erupted and flew towards Neji, who quickly activated his byakugan and hit each rock with perfect aim. But, as the rocks shattered in the air, hidden needles were exposed from the rocks and several of them embedded themselves into Neji's skin.

The injuries, although very minor, drew blood and caused Tenten to freeze as images of Neji in the hospital crossed her mind. She quickly shook her head to clear herself of the images, but they seemed to taunt her even more.

"Tenten! Move!" Neji hissed as a second shower of rocks rained down upon them. Once again, more needles emerged. This time, however, both teammates were hit.

"Tenten!" the urgency in Neji's voice caused Tenten to snap back to the present. She winced slightly as she pulled out several needles from her arm, then quickly took out a scroll and summoned her weapons.

_There's no time to be stuck in the past_, she thought silently. Forcing herself to focus on the current battle, Tenten aimed several shuriken at her opponent, followed by a couple of kunais with exploding tags attached. As always, her aim was perfect. Despite the pair of moving targets, every shuriken found its way to either the rock-nin or mist-nin, and every kunai exploded in the right place

"What did you mean by, 'they use long range attacks'!?" Tenten yelled across the open space. _How was that an advantage anyways?_

On the other side of the room, Neji couldn't reply, as he was too occupied with reflecting a dozen or so kunais and a few rocks as well. When he finally managed to clear the air around him, Neji retreated to the area beside Tenten, but kept his gaze on their opponents.

"Both of them use long range attacks, which means only you can be on the offensive. For this type of combat, I can't do much except defend, so that's what we'll do".

"What?" Tenten was beyond confused; had she been in this fight alone, she felt she could have done better, since she wouldn't have to worry about following Neji's orders, or making sure he didn't almost die again, or being careful about not messing things up for him. If she was alone, she could just charge in and use all the weapons she wanted.

_Well, remember the last Chunnin exam against that Temari girl? Look what happened when you acted without thinking_. The same voice in her head began teasing Tenten again and she madly shook her head to rid herself of it.

"Tenten!" Neji's eyes narrowed and there was definite impatience in his voice.

"I- I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?" Tenten finally managed to choke out. Once again, Neji had no chance to reply as another attack was launched at them. Tenten quickly jumped out of the way and looked towards Neji for instructions, but he had disappeared.

There was no time to think or to even call out his name. Her trained kunoichi mind went on auto-pilot and Tenten felt her hand moving on its own, drawing out several weapons and aiming them at her opponents. Without looking to see if she had hit her targets, Tenten began scanning the room for Neji; it's not like he could just vanish.

Well, if Neji couldn't just vanish, he sure could just "un-vanish". Tenten let out a soft gasp of surprise as she saw Neji appear in the corner of the stadium, the expression on his face telling her that he had meant to do that all along.

She quickly countered a few kunais thrown at her, then hurried to Neji's side, silently demanding an explanation.

"You wouldn't fight when I was around", Neji stated simply. She could tell he knew she was worried, and that he thought it was pathtic of her to do so. Tenten wrinkled her eyebrows in thought, but couldn't find anything to reply with. Once again, Neji had proven something to her, and once again, she looked like a fool. But, she still had a legitimate reason for freaking out, didn't she? It wasn't common to be able to see an image of your half-dead teammate in your head, but it was for Tenten.

"So, now, you're going to do more than just stand around, alright?"

Tenten felt as if Neji was treating her like a child, but realized he had reason to, and decided to simply listen instead of talking back. After all, she was acting somewhat ridiculous. Tenten nodded in agreement and slipped out a few weapons, not missing the satisfied look on Neji's face out of the corner of her eye.

The rock-nin made his next move, covering the two Konoha shinobi in a layer of fine, grinded rock that closely resembled dark-colored sand. Miniature bombs were hidden in the small rocks, but were no match for the byakugan, which read every bit of chakra like an open book.

"Kaiten!"

Tenten ducked as the force of Neji's Hakke Shou Kaiten (Heavenly Spin) surrounded her, clearing the immediate area from any bombs or small rocks. Then, taking this opportunity while the opponents were recovering, Tenten drew out a set of twin scrolls, followed by a few hand seals.

"Sōshōryū!"

Her Twin Rising Dragons attack swept the room into a flurry of weapons and wind, and at one point, even Neji had to stumble slightly to keep his balance. The shower of kunais and other various metallic weapons rained upon both the rock and mist-nin, but injured the rock-nin badly while leaving the mist-nin relatively unscathed.

After the arena cleared, Tenten quickly used the kunais in her hands to attack a distracted rock-nin, knocking him out. She nodded to Neji, who gave her an acknowledging grunt before turning his attention to the mist-nin. Aware of his disadvantage, the mist-nin drew out several unidentifiable weapons and took aim at both opponents, then changed his mind at the last second and threw everything towards Tenten. She managed to counter each weapons with one of her own, but was unaware of the last weapon, which made its way behind her and turned around, hitting her in the back.

The weapon, which resembled an intricately designed needle, dug its way into her lower back and seemed to come to life as it curled around her waist, digging more, smaller needles around her sides. A deep purple liquid seeped out of her wounds, and it took Neji no more than half a second to figure out that his teammate had been poisoned.

_Damn_. Although not nearly as skilled as Tenten with weapons, Neji drew out a few of his own shuriken and threw them at the mist-nin, creating a momentary distraction that allowed him to hurry to his teammate's side. Despite the stinging pain in her back and the fuzzy surroundings that were growing worse, Tenten struggled to retrieve her last few weapons to finish the fight. Before she could throw them, however, a hand quickly stopped her and a figure appeared in front of her, attempting to talk to her while defending her at the same time.

"Tenten, can you hear me? All we need is one last attack. Can you do that? I just need you to hit his hands. It has to be his hands, Tenten".

"Hands?"

"Just disable his hands and leave the rest to me", Neji instructed. Tenten nodded weakly and took aim, but the world around her had turned to blurs, and the way Neji was darting around in front of her wasn't helping either. The random weapons that Neji deflected only confused Tenten's mind even more and she found it difficult to see her target.

_His hands. Just hit his hands._

Her last kunai left Tenten's hand and whizzed towards the mist-nin, only to embed itself in his arms instead of hand.

_Shit. He said it HAD to be his hand. _She was determined to not let Neji down, and so, not thinking clearly about the consequences or about anything at all, Tenten darted into the middle of the battlefield to grab the nearest weapon.

"What are you doing?!" Neji yelled, unable to believe that his teammate would do something so carelessly. _She'll get hit! She's not even defending herself!_

Too late.

The mist-nin recognized his opportunity and sent a large weapon on Tenten, creating a gash across her arm. With what was left of her sensible mind, Tenten could still see Neji crossing the room, and she suddenly understood why Neji had wanted her to hit his hands. Close combat. Without his hands, the mist-nin couldn't use any long range attacks and Neji would be able to fight with the advantage.

_I just have to keep him from doing anything long range, _Tenten thought,_ Neji just needs one hit and we'll win_. She tugged at the poisonous weapon in her back and pulled it out, ignoring the pain and gushing blood that caused gasps among those who were watching.

Tenten squinted at the mist-nin and aimed. She didn't need to hit his hands anymore. Now that Neji was near the mist-nin, all she needed to do was hurt him. Somewhere. Anywhere.

She hit the mist-nin near his rib cage with the foreign weapon and watched triumphantly as his own weapon worked against him. Then, just before everything faded to black, Tenten saw Neji attack, hitting every charka point that could possibly exist.

They won.

* * *

By the time Kanaye and Leiko had reached the gates of Konoha, the sun was well on its way to bed and the scent of death had all but disappeared. They paused in a relatively thick part of the forest outside of the hidden village, carefully surveying the structure of its walls and the pattern of ANBU patrollers around the area. They weren't familiar at all with the area, but they knew one thing for sure: the extra appendages they had would certainly not fit in with the citizens of Konoha. How often was it that two spider-looking guys were seen walking around?

"We have to find out who 'Hyuuga Neji' is before we do anything", Leiko reminded Kanaye, who looked more than ready to just jump in and attack. Despite her frustration over the recent death, she was still the more sensible one and managed to think of all the options they had.

"How are we supposed to find him? Walk in and ask around?" Kanaye scoffed.

"No. Any shinobi who could even stand a chance against Kidomaru would have to be superior to most. It shouldn't be too hard to locate someone like that. Plus, if he's from the Hyuuga clan, he has to have white eyes".

"Fine. So what do we do first?"

"We wait until its later, when most of the village is asleep", Leiko decided.

"And then what?"

"And then you follow my instructions".

* * *

Many thanks to everyone who left a review! Honestly, those mean A LOT to me 3 


	5. Chapter 4

I would like to thank everyone who left a review. I know I've said this before, but reviews are my most favoritest things ever!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter Four

The hospital corridors were bare, save for a pair of shinobi in shiny green jumpsuits and even shinier hair. They took long strides, walking side by side towards the last door at the end of the hall. Upon approaching their destination, the younger of the two reached forward to pull on the metal handle, only to realize he was supposed to push the door instead. Blushing slightly in embarrassment, he tried again and this time, successfully entered the room.

They were met with a bright, sunlight filled room. The walls were a pale beige that reflected the sunshine brilliantly, and the windows were slightly ajar, allowing a cool breeze to flow throughout the room. The curtains, pulled back with a thin string and slightly ruffled, cast a thin shadow across the occupant on the hospital bed.

Her hair had left behind its usual style of two bun-buns and was now sprawled out across her pillow, shimmering in the sunlight. The expression on her face was peaceful, except for the fact that occasionally, she would wince in her sleep, reminding everyone of the fact that even in this tranquil setting, she was experiencing a lot of pain.

The tiny clock sitting on her bedside table seemed to tick away endlessly, and the two visitors in the room waited, almost giving up hope. As they stared mindlessly at the vase of flowers beside the clock, they silently debated with themselves whether they should wait longer, or go training for the time being.

Fortunately, they had come at just the right time, for the hospitalized girl began stirring, until her eyes fluttered open and the world became visible to her again.

"Tenten! You are recovering quite well!"

The girl slowly sat up in bed and smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, Lee. Gai-sensei", she greeted them.

"Are you feeling better?"

Their sensei, despite his beliefs in tough love and harsh training, could visibly feel his female student's pain. She nodded and sat up a bit straighter, but winced when she felt a small pain spread through her back.

"How long have I been out?" she asked, lying back down.

"Well, all the paired matches have ended, and the one-on-one fights will begin in two weeks", Gai replied.

_The Chunnin Exams!_ For a moment, Tenten was shocked that she'd allowed something so important to slip her mind.

"What were the results? Who fought who?!" Tenten was pretty much _this close_ to grabbing Lee by the shoulder and shaking him until he fell apart.

"Oh, Tenten, you must calm yourself down! I shall tell you who has won", Lee grinned, "You already know that the most beautiful Sakura-san and her partner from the mist-nin won. Well, the team of Ino and Kiba won against the team of Chouji and Hinata. That was quite a fight, I must say, having teammates fight each other. Then, Temari and Kankuro from the sand won against two grass-nins. Most interesting too, since both teams were familiar with their partners. And of course, Gaara-san and I won our match against Shino and his partner from the grass".

"That's great!" Tenten smiled happily for her teammate.

"Yes. After last year's match, Lee and Gaara have learned to work together", Gai stated proudly. Tenten could only smile awkwardly in reply as both Gai and Lee beamed with tears of happiness in their eyes.

Fortunately, before she had to endure anything else the dynamic duo could come up with, a knock sounded at the door, and Tenten soon found a solemn-looking Neji sitting at the foot of her bed.

* * *

Having spent an entire night outside of the busiest bar in Konoha, hiding under an open window, Kanaye and Leiko were able to gather valuable information about their target. Now, in the bright afternoon setting, they could only hide in a well concealed area full of bushes, waiting for the cover of night. 

They had already learned of the Hyugga family and the location of their estate. They'd learned that Hyuuga Neji was a recent graduate from the academy, only a few years ago, and that his file may very well be still accessible, especially since he had graduated at the top of his class.

Thus, their next step was to infiltrate the academy at night, retrieve Neji's file, and learn about him so that they would be able to recognize him and use his weaknesses against him. Unfortunately, Neji had very few of those.

But for now, all the pair could do was wait, hidden behind bushes. It would have been quite a comical scene, actually, to see two spider-like shinobi crouched by shrubs, if it weren't for the fact that the death of one of their close ones still lingered heavily in the surrounding air.

They were both determined to avenge Kidomaru, and when it came to deep, meaningful things like this, shinobi were known to fight to the death.

* * *

After Gai-sensei and Lee left the hospital to catch up on some training, Neji was able to more comfortably speak with his teammate. He explained in detail what happened during each of the matches, and in all her life, Tenten had never seen or heard Neji say so many words. In a funny way, it was overwhelming. She suspected that he missed talking to her, but quickly pushed that ridiculous thought aside. How could Neji, _the_ Neji, actually want to talk to someone, much less her? 

"Tenten, are you listening?"

_Maybe something happened to him_. Since when did Neji care if she, or anyone, was listening?

"Yeah, I'm listening", Tenten nodded.

"I talked to a medic just a while ago, and he said that …" Neji trailed off, as if something was bothering him and he was unable to speak of it.

"Medic?" Tenten frowned.

"You can't fight in the final round, Tenten".

"What do you mean I can't - "

"Listen to me", Neji quickly cut her off, waving a hand carelessly in front of her face, "You are in no condition to fight, and even now, there are still traces of the poison in your system".

Tenten was silent. She didn't know how to respond to this and knew even less what to say. Failure seemed to surround her and she hated herself for not being able to pass the Chunning Exams a second time. Last year's little show with that sand princess had been embarrassing enough, and she hated the thought of having to wait yet another year. Still, if she was under orders from a medic-nin, she was in no position to disobey them, especially since she was already in the hospital.

"I guess I'll be watching you fight… again", Tenten murmured at last. Neji nodded but made no reply; it seemed as if he had returned to his natural, silent state. They sat in silence, each deep in thought. Neji shifted slightly on the edge of the bed and looked at his teammate, who was staring blankly at the ceiling. He wanted, more than anything, to be able to somehow magically heal her. He knew Tenten really wanted a chance to prove herself, but that wasn't really why he wanted her healed. Simply put, it bothered him to see his teammate in such a condition.

Now, Neji wasn't normally one to feel pity for others, and in fact, for the longest time, he didn't feel much at all. But, he was still a person, and in reality, he was really still a kid. (I mean, what is he, like 14 years old during the time skip?)

"Do you know when I'll be able to fight?" Tenten asked finally, breaking the silence. Neji shook his head, but promised to find out as soon as he could. His teammate nodded sadly, but forced a weak smile, hoping to show that she would be ok.

A knock came from the door and a moment later, Tsunade entered with Sakura trailing behind her. They had arrived for a routine check-up and politely asked Neji to leave them alone. So, feeling somewhat dejected, Neji left Konoha Hospital and headed home.

* * *

The full moon had taken over the sky, allowing no room for stars to make their presence known. Using the shadows that large trees cast over the entrance of the academy, the two figures crept into the normally children-filled building and proceeded down the long corridor. 

They had done their research on this place as well, taking time to hide in various places surrounding the building to learn of its structure. During the day, while they camouflaged themselves within the trees, they could look through the open windows to see each classroom and what it consisted of.

Now, although it was dark, the two intruders knew their way very well around the hallways. They easily slipped into the examination room, where all the files on shinobi who graduated from the Academy were kept. It took the pair quite some time, and a bit of arguing, to locate the correct file, but they eventually did.

As the two poured over the file's contents, their minds quickly jotted down mental notes and formulated ways to best hurt their targeted character.

"It'll be a lot harder to deal with this guy than we thought, Leiko".

"I know. But we don't have to attack him straight on".

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You'll see, Kanaye, you'll see".

* * *

Neji reached the Hyuuga Estate to find a sullen looking Hinata squatted on the floor just outside the walls, her head buried in her arms. He looked around, confused, then sat down beside his cousin. 

It wasn't like him to care about other people, especially a member of the head branch, but he really seemed to be changing recently. He couldn't attribute it to any one event, but felt it was probably because he had experienced Naruto's determination for helping his teammate firsthand. Seriously, after he had been beaten within an inch of his life by some spider-ish guy with the curse seal all across his body and extra arms, then watched as Tenten landed herself in the hospital, Neji had begun to rethink everything quite a bit.

Hinata's quiet sniffles snapped Neji back to the present, and he looked at his cousin, but couldn't find the right thing to say. Typical. So, he simply did the only thing he knew how to do: keep quiet. For Hinata, just having someone not yell at her or ignore her was enough encouragement, and she began relating to Neji why she couldn't return home.

Her disappointment in herself and the fear she had for her own father came as a shock for Neji, who realized he had never taken the time to think much about anyone in the main branch. He had automatically expected everyone to get along, especially the people of an immediate family. And yet, here he was, sitting on the dirt ground beside his cousin, who was only a step away from being kicked out of the house.

He knew she had already been disowned, and that little Hanabi would be the heiress someday, but he couldn't imagine things to be this bad for the girl, especially since her father still allowed her to stay home. She must still be somewhat important, right?

Hoping to help at least a little bit, Neji got onto his feet and then motioned for his cousin to enter their house. She couldn't very well disobey, so she silently followed him in, praying her father wouldn't see her.

Neji's rare act of caring for someone other than himself did not go unnoticed by the two hidden shadows within the trees just outside his home. They crouched silently among the leaves, watching intently as the Hyuuga prodigy escorted his cousin inside their home. For Leiko's sharp mind, this served as the basis of her now rapidly forming plan. For Kanaye, who was known to take orders, especially from the quirky Leiko, this was just another day to do what he was told to.

After Neji and Hinata disappeared inside the walls, Leiko motioned for Kanaye to move forward, and they shifted their positions on the tree to a nearer location.

"Did you see that?" Leiko whispered excitedly. Kanaye shook his head, slightly confused. He may have been a fantastically skilled fighter, but he wasn't the brightest guy around.

"I saw our target. And I imagined me killing him", he replied.

"No, idiot. We already know that attempting to confront him straight-on isn't going to work, especially since we're the ones coming to _his_ home", Leiko explained impatiently.

"Well, you said 'you'll see', so, what am I seeing?"

"We're going to do to him, what he did to me", Leiko continued, "Whoever that girl was, she's of obvious importance to him".

"So we're just going to kill that girl? I wanted to kill _him_. And plus, what if she isn't even all that important?" Kanaye countered.

"Fine. We'll kill her. Then we kill him. As for the girl, we'll just wait a few more days, just to see who she is to him. Maybe wait till after the Chunnin Exams; then we can see his fighting style", Leiko decided.

Kanaye grunted in agreement and the pair retreated for the time being.

* * *

Just as a fun side note, the name "Kanaye" means "zealous one", which fits Kanaye becuase he pretty much acts without thinking, but puts 100 effort into everything he does. Well, except thinking. And "Leiko" means "arrogant", becuase she always bosses Kanaye around. But, I guess she has a right too, since she's much smarter.

* * *

I would very much like reviews please! That's all I ask for. 


	6. Chapter 5

Uhm… long time no update? Mmph, I had stuff to do. Plus, the lack of reviews is making me more and more unmotivated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter Five

During the two weeks before the final chunnin exam fights, Neji had established a habit of going to the hospital every day, and Leiko and Kanaye had established a habit of following him around. Each day, while the morning was still fresh, they would observe Neji leave the Hyuuga compound with a white eyed, short-haired girl. Leiko immediately recognized her as the same girl Neji had talked to that one night, but Kanaye was too absorbed in staring angrily at Neji to notice anything. Together, the genins made their way towards Konoha hospital in silence.

Neji never bothered to speak to his cousin; there was no point, and Hinata was perfectly fine with the silence; she didn't have much to say, anyways. There was a mutual agreement between the two and they never cared to discuss it. Hinata simply wanted to get away from home and from her father, so she had decided to dedicate her days to the hospital, keeping Tenten company when Neji wasn't around. She had taken a great liking to the older girl, especially after watching her latest battle.

Neji's motives were his own. He never discussed it with anyone, and always acted as if Hinata didn't exist. She suspected it was because he just wanted to see Tenten, but couldn't very well ask him to make sure.

Still, it was pretty clear why Neji tolerated their walks. Something had changed him, if only slightly. He didn't glare as much and had stopped his rude habit of walking away from someone while they were talking, but he still failed to show any care or feelings. He may have been a bit better to be around, but he was really the same, old Neji.

After arriving at the hospital, the two parted without any exchange of words. Neji immediately went to the nurse's counter to see if there were any updates on Tenten's condition, then promptly headed for her room.

On one particular morning when he entered the hospital room, he was met with quite a surprise. Almost immediately after stepping into the room, he found himself bombarded with noise by a very excited Tenten. Apparently, she had just realized something was wrong.

"Neji!"

"Wha-"

"It's not even! I have to fight, because it won't be even!" Tenten was on the verge of jumping off the bed and Neji quickly restrained her, while trying not to use too much force at the same time. _Damn._ She was one strong girl.

"What are you talking about?" Neji interrupted, slightly annoyed by all the babbling.

"The fighting! It won't be even!" Tenten unsuccessfully explained.

Neji gave her a confused look.

"During the last part of the chunnin exams, the fights are one-on-one. So, what'll happen to the person that was supposed to fight me?" Tenten demanded. She secretly rejoiced at having thought of such a thing, for that meant they'd have to let her fight now, right?

Wrong. "There's no need for you to worry about that", Neji replied.

"Why?"

"Gaara isn't fighting either"

"Gaara?" Tenten wondered aloud.

"He's returning to the Sand Village immediately to become Kazekage"

"He's- why?"

"The death of the previous Kazekage during the last chunnin exam threw the Sand Village into chaos. The council debated on a candidate for the new Kazekage and chose Gaara. They think they can better control the monster inside him like that", Neji explained.

"How do you know all this?" Tenten asked this out loud, but in her head, she was secretly wondering how Neji could possibly talk _so much_. It was just so unlike him!

"The problem of having an odd number occurred to me a while ago, and I asked the Hokage what she'd do".

"That's so amazing. He's a genin and already, Kazekage", Tenten murmured mostly to herself.

"His skills surpass the genin level by far", Neji replied. Tenten took this moment to notice that his fists had now clenched and the blank "I don't give a crap" look in his eyes had been replaced by one of bitter rivalry.

"He's a worthy opponent for you, isn't he?" Tenten asked softly. Neji nodded once and looked away, apparently lost in thought. Tenten followed his gaze to the wall and they both stared at the same, blank spot, passing the time in a calm, comfortable silence.

* * *

Deep within the heart of the Sand Village, under a bright orange sky that glowed with the sunset, two figures stood atop the highest plateau in the area. They faced the sun, soaking in its last rays as it descended towards the Earth. The figures stood a bit apart, one near the edge, the other, farther back.

The shorter of the two kept his gaze on the sky, while his older brother began to speak.

"I hate to say it like this, but to the village elders, you're just a weapon. Gaara, you… you create fear".

There was no reply.

"It's going to be difficult to be Kazekage, you know. _They'll_ be everywhere, all the council members", Kankuro continued.

Gaara nodded and continued looking out. "But, I've found my purpose", he replied, mostly to himself.

"Purpose?" Kankuro echoed.

"I'm going to bond with the village. I'm going to protect its people with my life. Because that hard work will make people respect me, and one day, I won't be feared. I'll be needed".

"That's- "

"That's what I learned from fighting Uzumaki Naruto", Gaara interrupted. They brother's fell silent and together, they watched the very last bits of sunlight melt into a night sky.

* * *

Two days before Neji would have to fight in the Chunnin exams, he decided to take a break from his usual schedule and visited Tenten in the dead of night. There really wasn't a reason; he just couldn't sleep and the hospital happened to be the first place to pop into his mind.

He left the house without a sound and slipped through the front gates, making his way onto the now deserted streets. The soft padding of his shoes against the road was the only source of sound, save for the occasional cooing of a bird hidden somewhere in the trees.

He walked down the path towards Konoha Hospital, taking his time. There was no rush, and no one was expecting him anywhere. He liked that. _No expectations_. As he approached the glass doors that led into the hospital, he realized the nurses who worked the night shift wouldn't just allow him to barge into a patient's room at this hour.

So, he took a few steps back and looked at the large building in front of him, counting the windows until he came to the one that led to Tenten's room.

It was on the second floor, all the way at the end of the building. Not too high up, and far away enough for him to not be caught. Neji closed in on the area directly underneath the window and began concentrating chakra to his feet, when a murmur of voices caught his attention.

He froze on the spot and listened carefully, searching for where the sounds came from. There was a dim light lit in one of the first floor rooms, and a soft glow emitted from the windows. Neji really had no interest in what went on in other people's lives, but for some reason, a strange force drew him to the window and he felt compelled to see what was going on.

As he approached the window, the voices grew louder and Neji sensed a bit of tension and anxiety in them. He normally wasn't one to eavesdrop, but the voices became so clear that even without trying, Neji could hear them echo in his head.

A frantic voice, definitely female, seemed to be calling out instructions to someone else, who, from their reply, also seemed to be female. The second voice seemed familiar and Neji listened closer.

"Check those charts again! There _has_ to be an antidote somewhere on there!" the first voice yelled. This voice was only vaguely familiar, but Neji could identify the second one as Sakura's.

Her clear voice rang out as she called off the different antidotes they had at the moment. None of them were the right ones.

The door in the room opened with a bang and a third voice joined in. Neji could easily tell this one belonged to the Godaime. What were they doing?

"Shizune! Move!" Tsunade ordered. The owner of the first voice, who Neji now knew to be Shizune, quickly moved to allow the Hokage near the patient.

"The poison is spreading again! Sakura, there's a different antidote that works for this purpose as well. It's the green one", she ordered. Sakura immediately fetched the antidote and Tsunade set to work.

A blue-ish glow now radiated from the room and Neji knew the medics inside were hard at work. From what he had gathered, the patient was poisoned and in critical condition. His mind immediately flew to Tenten, and Neji panicked. Was there something wrong? Did she move rooms for treatment?

"Byakugan!"

After checking the chakra flow of the people in the room, Neji confirmed that none of them were Tenten, and he let out a sigh. The voices in the room rose again and Neji could hear Tsunade yelling frantically.

Suddenly, all at once, the eruption of noises died down and there was only silence.

A quiet sobbing that had emerged from the silence grew louder and Neji narrowed his eyes. The Hokage was crying. He quickly used his byakugan again and checked the room. The patient that had been on the bed no longer had flowing chakra.

"Dead", Neji murmured to himself. A heavy tension settled upon him and he felt like something was choking him. As a shinobi, it wasn't rare to see death, but for some reason, this time had been different. Could it have been because this time, there were people working so hard to save someone? Could it be because they failed?

No. People failed all the time. Everywhere he went, he saw people working harder than they ever had to save someone, and everywhere, there were failures. Neji could only explain this gut-wrenching feeling he had with the fact that it made him think of a teammate in a similar situation.

He had, for a while, truly believed Tenten was the patient on the bed. It made sense, didn't it? After all, she _had_ been poisoned too, and the Hokage hadn't let her out for two weeks because the small traces of poison they couldn't remove still had high chances of spreading. Even though Neji already knew that whoever had died wasn't Tenten, part of him, the insensible part, couldn't be sure.

He quickly left the spot near the window and drew chakra to his feet again, walking up the hospital walls until he reached Tenten's window. The glass panes easily slid open and Neji pushed aside the curtains as he stepped into the room. A figure was sleeping peacefully on the bed and Neji breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes told him it was really Tenten, and that she was perfectly fine.

He neared her bed, but didn't sit on it, for fear that it would wake her up. Instead, Neji just stood there, looking quite dumb, actually, and watched the sleeping figure breathe peacefully.

* * *

Kanaye and Leiko had followed Neji to the hospital that night and watched him from the safety of a large tree. They were slightly confused, because from what they had gathered, this supposed Hyuuga genius had gotten up in the middle of the night, walked to the hospital, walked up to the hospital door, then walked away, walked to a window, stood there for about five minutes, then literally walked _up_ the walls to a second story window and climbed in.

To the pair, Neji seemed like a psychopath. No normal person would just get up in the middle of the night and hang out at a hospital, no, _outside_ a hospital, then enter through a freaking _window._ To put it bluntly, Kanaye had the crap confused out of him, and even Leiko was a bit mystified.

Nevertheless, they sat patiently outside the hospital, waiting for Neji to reemerge from the window.

* * *

He had lost track of time. It could have been a few minutes; it could have been a couple of hours, but Neji didn't really care. He just stood there, unable to tear his eyes away from Tenten. Part of his mind tugged at him, telling him that he _was _tired and needed sleep. But, part of him was determined to stay there. So, his body compromised. Neji found a chair in the corner of the room and sat down, falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The first things Neji saw upon opening his eyes again were a pair of honey-brown eyes and a pair of bright green eyes staring at him from _this close_. He immediately fell back in his chair and landed on the floor, hard. The retreating figures of Tsunade and Sakura revealed a third figure on the bed: Tenten. She was laughing hysterically, clutching a pillow in her arms.

Neji stood up and quickly brushed off his embarrassment, then nodded to the Hokage. He didn't really know what to do or say; it was just all too awkward.

"Alright, now that you're up, we can leave", Sakura smiled. Neji waited for the door to close before beginning to talk.

"Are you ok?" Tenten asked, holding back her laughs. Neji gave her a blank look. "It was just a bit of fun", She added.

"They recovered so fast", Neji murmured.

"What are you talking about?" Tenten asked. The seriousness in Neji's voice had pretty much killed all the laughter in the room.

"Last night, the Hokage and Sakura were treating a patient", Neji explained, "But, she died. And, the Hokage was crying and -"

"What?"

"They just acted as if nothing happened".

"Neji, maybe… I mean, as a medic-nin, they _have _to be able to face deaths", Tenten replied, "And, just because they don't show it, doesn't mean they don't feel it". _I mean, you obviously don't show anything_. She added silently.

Neji nodded.

"So, what were you doing here at night?"

"Couldn't sleep", Neji suddenly felt suffocated and wanted, more than anything, to get home right away.

"You look tired", Tenten agreed. Neji nodded and quickly excused himself, muttering an excuse about needing to sleep. He left the room abruptly, through the door this time, and hurried home, leaving a confused and lonely Tenten behind.


	7. Chapter 6

I'd like to thank my TWO (yeah, only two, pathetic, isn't it?) reviewers for the previous chapter.

For Sand Tessen, I'm glad you get the whole connecting the plot between characters thing. That's what I was going for. and, For Matahari, thanks for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!

* * *

Chapter Six

The excitement from the Chunnin exams was overbearing as last-minute travelers from various countries filed in though the Konoha gates, hoping they were not too late. The guards stationed at the front had, due to an excessive amount of people, become lax about who entered the stadium. Shinobi or not, the guards didn't really care anymore; there were big guys, little guys, fat guys, skinny guys… (oh boy, Dr. Seuss!) No one looked too suspicious anyways, especially since there were people from pretty much all over the world.

Thus, it didn't seem too uncommon for two shinobi, who looked harmless despite their extra arms, to enter the stadium as well. Leiko had deduced that since all sorts of people would be present, there was no need to hide or be disguised. All she and Kanaye had to do was keep a low profile and sit around until Hyuuga Neji had his turn to fight. She figured they could easily lean his style of fighting by watching, and that this information would surely come in handy very soon.

It seemed that today, luck was on their side, for once the fighting began, Neji was called to the arena along with a mist-nin, the same one that had been Sakura's partner in the previous fight. That's right, the gay-ish looking one. They took their spots on the opposing sides and looked at each other, neither refusing to come across as the weaker one.

The examiner this time was a new jounin, who had apparently picked up on the toothpick habit and now had one in his mouth, wiggling occasionally as he talked. The rules were then briefly explained because, really, there weren't many restrictions.

"Begin!"

On the examiner's call, both Neji and the mist-nin jumped back, lengthening the distance between them.

* * *

That very same morning in Konoha Hospital, Tenten was pacing back and forth in her room, feeling more impatient than she'd even felt in all her life. She was especially irritated that after bursting out of the room without a warning, Neji had never returned again. And today, he was supposed to be fighting. 

Her gaze continuously traveled to the small clock beside her bed, then to the door, then to a wide-eyed, nervous looking Hinata sitting timidly in the corner of the room. After her cousin's lack of presence, Hinata had decided to spend more time with Tenten, in hopes of cheering the girl up.

"Where is she?!" Tenten growled, quickening her pace.

"Don't- don't worry. I'm sure she'll be here soon", Hinata replied. Tenten just shook her head and continued pacing. She had long gotten up and, for the first time in two weeks, dressed in her normal clothes and wore her hair in its usual style. She was supposed to be let out of the hospital today, and she had specifically requested for Tsunade to check her out as early as possible. But, as the current situation stood, no one seemed to be coming and it was simply driving Tenten nuts.

"You know what? I'm not waiting anymore. We're going!" Tenten grabbed Hinata's arm and yanked her towards the window, ignoring the squeals of protest from the younger girl. She jumped out and landed softly on the grass; two stories down was no problem for a kunoichi like her.

Hinata followed reluctantly, worried that the nurses would panic. "It doesn't matter", Tenten assured her, "I'm already healed".

The two girls managed to squeeze into the stadium, but the fight had already began and there were no seats left. "It's fine. C'mon", Tenten smiled. There was no way Hinata could argue with her, so they settled for a spot near one of the large poles holding up the ceiling of the stands and each leaned on one side, turning their attention to the commencing fight.

The atmosphere was quite different from what Tenten remembered; for some reason, last year's fight didn't make her quite so anxious. There was a disquieting tension in the air and she had the feeling something awful was going to happen. She tried to make herself believe that it was just the opponents, because, really, when Naruto was paired up against Neji last year, she had thought of it as all a joke. Actually, pretty much everyone had. How could that kid, who failed all his exams in the academy and came in dead last, have a chance against Neji?

But, as much as Tenten wanted to believe that was the reason this year felt so much more… scarier, she knew it had to be something else. Call it intuition, if you will, but she just knew something bad would happen very soon. As if to prove her theory correct, Tenten noticed at this moment that Neji's opponent was a mist-nin. If she had learned anything from her previous fight, it was that having far-ranged opponents sucked. Well, it did for Neji, anyways.

"What's wrong?" Hinata's transparent eyes, so similar to Neji's that it shocked Tenten for a moment, bore questioningly into hers.

"I- That-Uh…" Tenten sputtered; her mind was working so fast, her mouth couldn't keep up. "I mean, it's just that, Neji's opponent is a long-range fighter, and -"

"And that puts him at a disadvantage, doesn't it?" Hinata's soft voice was full of understanding as she watched her cousin. Tenten nodded.

A few minutes into the match, it soon dawned on Tenten that something seemed different. Although she knew there was supposed to be a disadvantage for Neji, she couldn't really see him struggling with the enemy. He seemed to easily dodge the poisoned needles sent at him, and had no problem countering the jutsus of the mist-nin, which, needless to say, were all long-ranged. Maybe he had problems last time because she was there as well. _Maybe it was just my fault last time._

"He- he seems to be doing fine", Hinata spoke up, sounding a bit surprised.

"He's defending very well, but he's not getting anywhere like this", Tenten replied. As if he had heard her, Neji quickly repelled the last shower of needles and began.

"Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou!"

He had managed to make his way past the mist-nin's offenses and defenses, and was now releasing a series of taijutsus to seal off his chakra. The cheering from the stands told Neji he was getting somewhere, and he pushed on, beating the mist-nin until he was sure his opponent could barely breath.

During the few seconds or so that he had been attacking, Neji felt as if he had, for lack of better word, "lost" himself. He was immersed in the fight, unable to think about anything except hurting this shinobi in front of him. He knew he wasn't supposed to be like this; you had to be calm, collected, constantly thinking even when you were in a fight, but Neji felt that for those brief moments, he wasn't himself anymore. He couldn't attribute this to anything, and had, for the moment, shoved it aside. Besides, he'd won. Even if that didn't guarantee his becoming a chunnin, it still meant something.

The roar from the crowd was almost earsplitting as the examiner raised his hand to announce Neji the winner. Gai and Lee were especially noisy with their cheers and shouts of encouragement, and even though the two were on opposite sides of the stadium, they could easily spot each other due to the brightness of their green jumpsuits. Neji, however, looked unaffected. He gave the audience a curt nod and walked towards the stairs leading up to the stands. To him, even if he'd won, there was nothing _that _special about winning a match like this. He had already studied the fighting strategies of the mist-nin in the previous match, and in addition to that, it wasn't like he had really accomplished much. Just winning the fight didn't make you a chunnin; it was based on _how_ you fought.

From their seats in the stands, Leiko watched as the white eyed girl and her bun-bun haired friend jumped up once Neji won the fight. "That's her", she murmured, pointing at Hinata, "That's our cue to go". Kanaye followed.

Up on the stands, both Tenten and Hinata had started scrambling away from their original position, towards the stairs that led to the fighting ground. They weren't exactly sure where Neji was headed, but they figured that going down was probably the right way to go. Tenten took the lead, tearing down flight after flight of stairs, with Hinata in tow. They reached the set of double doors that led to the fighting grounds, but a chunnin that was standing guard blocked their way.

"But, we have to get to Neji!" Tenten protested excitedly. There was excitement in her eyes and she just couldn't wait to get to Neji and congratulate him, then bash him on the head for running out on her. But, the chunnin held firm.

"He probably went to the medical room", he announced, "That's where all examinees are to report to after the match".

"Ok!" Tenten rushed off again, leaving Hinata to murmur a quick "thank you" before running after her. The two girls made their way around the outside of the stadium in search of the medical room, but found themselves ambushed by two enemies instead.

A blur of arms crowded Tenten's vision as she felt something hard come in contact with her back. The … _arms_… that she'd seen had shoved her heavily against a wall, allowing the rough texture of the concrete slabs to cut wide gashes in her arms. She instinctively responded, pushing away her opponent and reaching for her weapons. But, as she had left the hospital without being checked out or given her belongings, she had nothing on her and was pretty much… well, screwed.

The arms came for her again, but this time, Tenten saw a head and body attached to them. Before he could strike, Tenten caught sight of a twisted, tan face, with sharp eyes and a maniacal smile. She pulled away and aimed a punch at the opponent's stomach, but he had grabbed her arm before she reached him, and now swung her away from him, causing her to hit the same wall again.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tenten could see Hinata struggling with another multi-armed opponent, and in the background, she could faintly hear the examiner call Sakura and Lee to the arena. _So, Lee gets to fight "his" Sakura, huh?_ Her mind seemed amused, even when her body was struggling to get out of the danger.

When she finally saw an opening, Tenten quickly aimed her elbow at her captor's stomach and shoved it in, causing him to back off momentarily. She took this opportunity to slip her hand into his kunai holster and steal a few kunais, jabbing one into his… whatever was closest to her. She heard him let out a stream of curse words, only to be reprimanded by the other ambusher.

"Kanaye! This is the one we want, not her!" the other multi-armed shinobi, who had gotten a hold of Hinata, began dragging the poor girl away. Tenten shoved the shinobi named Kanaye aside and rushed towards her friend, but was fiercely held back. She reached forward with a grunt to grab Hinata, but ended up capturing a handful of Leiko's hair. _Oh, gross_.

"Just go, then! Go, Leiko. I'll get rid of this one", Kanaye pulled out several shuriken and aimed then at Tenten, but she quickly deflected them with the stolen kunai. Turning her attention to Hinata, Tenten began chasing after the shinobi named Leiko, but they had already disappeared beyond her view.

"Hinata!" Tenten rushed towards the direction she best guessed they would have disappeared to, but Kanaye seemed determined to intercept. He attacked again, and Tenten had no choice but to throw her kunai at him. Her aim was still unchanged; the kunai embedded itself into his stomach, hitting a vital spot. But, Kanaye didn't give up so easily. He managed to grab Tenten as she tried to run off and held her in a blind struggle; by this point, Kanaye had stopped thinking and resorted to brute strength- it was the only thing he was really good at.

Tenten could feel the air around her grow heavy and the arms constricting her neck grow tighter. Her gasping breaths became shorter, until she felt choked and nauseated. _I am NOT going to get sent back to the hospital after I just got out!_ She thought angrily. If there was such a thing as "Inner Tenten", it would be here now. With a newly found burst of strength, Tenten growled and forcefully pushed aside Kanaye, taking the opportunity to jab him a couple of times as well.

She got away this time, but knew it was too late to go after Hinata. Still, she had managed to lose that spider-freak and was now rushing towards… well, anywhere that had people. She caught sight of the medical room and hurried in, a wave of relief washing over her when she saw Neji sitting at one of the tables.

"Neji!" Tenten stumbled over to her teammate in a rush of panic, barely able to find her voice, let alone explain what happened. In between gulps of air and a bit of coughing, Tenten managed to relate to Neji what happened, describing the two enemies and recalling their names.

"Spider?" Neji's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Spiders. Kidomaru"

"Neji, what are you –"

Neji hopped off the table and left the room. It seemed to Tenten that, lately, he'd been running out on her quite a bit.

* * *

The change of scenery around her was more than obvious, and Hinata watched helplessly as the trees whizzed by her. She was strapped to something and was being carried from one tree to another. Her head hurt slightly and there was a dull ache spreading across her arms and legs, most likely the result of being poisoned by something. Her fingers had lost feeling and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move. It felt as if her chakra flow had been cut off, but when she used her byakugan to check, her chakra system seemed to be fine. 

She felt weak, vulnerable, and above all, angry that she couldn't defend herself well enough. It was true, she hadn't prepared for anything like this, and hadn't been carrying any weapons, but she wished she'd at least put up a bit more of a fight, sort of like Tenten managed to do. The more Hinata thought about it, the angrier she became with herself, and the more she wanted to fight back. However, at the same time, she could feel the numbness in her body grow and the world around her become fuzzier. The trees that flew by them now turned into dark, green and brown blurs, and she found it became harder to concentrate on anything.

Using her last bit of strength and willpower, Hinata came up with a brilliantly bold plan, and hacked up the biggest piece of saliva she could, spitting it against the branch of tree. That seemed like something only Naruto would think of, and, hey, maybe he was rubbing off on her, but if Hinata knew anything about her teammates, it was that Kiba's nose would find her in an instant with that clue she left behind. So, satisfied for the moment, Hinata didn't fight it anymore as her world faded to black and her head to slumped against her shoulder, eyes closed, byakugan turned off.

* * *

I don't understand why some people will favorite this story, or put it on update alert, but not leave a review. That doesn't make sense, does it? Plus, it makes me super sad that I have so little reviews. At least tell me what's not to like! 


	8. Chapter 7

I'm proud to say that my chapters are gradually becoming longer! And, thanks to:

Matahari, sand tessen, lovingmylife, B.Q., sleeping ox, and Takky-san for the reviews.

They are very much appreciated!

Disclaimer: I give up on the disclaimer. Even if I owned Naruto, Sasuke still wouldn't be mine. Poo.

* * *

Chapter Seven

His heart thumped incessantly in his chest and his head swirled with confusion as he raced towards the Hokage's office. That seemed to be the most reasonable place to find Tsunade, since he hadn't seen her at the Chunnin exams and Tenten had said she wasn't at the hospital. Neji tore through the streets of Konoha, which, fortunately, were mostly empty due to the Chunnin exams, and rushed up the stairs towards the Hokage's tower.

As he made his way down the long corridor, his mind wouldn't settle down. Something didn't seem right in his head, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong. Tenten had described the two shinobi who attacked them and kidnapped his cousin, and from her description, he could swear one of the two sounded exactly like Kidomaru. He wasn't supposed to be around, though, was he? Neji had watched him fall from that tree and die; he'd done the killing himself, and he had the scars to prove it. But, there was always the chance he hadn't _really _died.

Then again, she _had_ mentioned their names as well, "Kanaye" and "Leiko". At the moment, Neji couldn't care less who the heck Leiko was, but he couldn't help thinking that "Kanaye" and "Kidomaru" sounded a bit similar. Maybe Tenten had heard it wrong. No, he couldn't question her judgment; Neji had known Tenten long enough to know she was usually right about these things. And, why, _why_, would they take Hinata? As far as he could think of, there was absolutely no reason why Hinata would be of any importance to anyone. Well, he didn't mean it in a bad way, but it was true. She wasn't of any value, since her father had disowned her, and she wasn't especially powerful or good at any particular thing that was valuable to anyone. Maybe she knew something about Naruto, since she stalked him so much. Nah, there was no way the enemies would know about that little detail.

Neji simply couldn't figure it out, so he just shoved it all aside and hurried into the Hokage's office, not bothering to knock. Luckily for him, Tsunade was on one of her not-so-drunk days and was in a good mood. She looked up at him questioningly, then pushed aside the paperwork in front of her, giving him a nod and permission to speak. She listened intently as Neji explained what had happened, then ordered him to stay in the room while she rushed out.

Neji had no choice but to obey, and stood awkwardly in front of her desk as Tsunade blew out of sight. He was now left alone in the office, and, as all people do when they aren't allowed to go anywhere, Neji started looking around. His movements seemed calm as he glanced at various things around the room, but his mind was still in a flurry of confusion and he was trying harder than ever to figure out what was going on.

He shook his head and began pacing around the room, which, for some strange reason, was starting to feel a bit stuffy. And, Neji noticed, he was suddenly getting a headache. In fact, the dull ache had been there a while ago and he hadn't really noticed until now.

In a few moments, the Hokage had returned with, to Neji's surprised, his uncle (Hinata's daddy). Hyuuga Hiashi gave the boy a stern look, then turned to the Hokage and they began talking in low tones. Neji stood where he was, indignantly looking at the pair and slightly surprised that they would exclude him while he was standing right there. What were they talking about, anyways?

The discussion broke up shortly after and Tsunade called for Shizune, whispering a few orders in her ear before allowing her to quickly leave the room.

"What's going on?" Neji demanded, taking a step toward the Hokage. She held up a hand to silence him, demanding his patience. Hiashi offered no help and stood silently in the corner, arms placed stiffly at his sides. Neji sighed and struggled to keep his emotions in check. Now was not the time to piss anyone off.

His question was answered when, quite a bit later, Shizune returned with several people in tow. Neji raised one eyebrow in question as he watched a bored Shikamaru, a confused Ino, and a disappointed Kiba and Akamaru enter the room, grumbling about how they were pulled out of the Chunnin Exams.

"What are you doing?" Neji demanded again, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Geez", Tsunade rubbed her forehead, "As you may or may not know, Hinata was, according to Neji, kidnapped by two Shinobi who are in some way related to Kidomaru of the Sound Five".

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at the last part and a shudder came over him. Kiba stepped forward, eyes narrowed as well, his senses coming on high alert.

"As agreed on by Hyuuga Hiashi and myself, we are sending out a four-man squad to track down Hinata", Tsunade continued, "Neji. You will be leading the squad. As demonstrated by your most recent fight, you have reached the Chunnin level and may possibly have surpassed it".

_What is she talking about?_ Neji only nodded slightly to show he was still listening.

"Your mission is to retrieve Hinata safely. A successful mission ensures your becoming a jounin and you two as Chunnin", she turned to Kiba and Ino, " A failed mission is - "

"Unacceptable", Hiashi cut in. "This is the not the first time there has been an attempt to kidnap Hinata. You will not fail".

They'd lost Neji after the word "jounin". A jounin? A _jounin_? _Him?_ There had to be a catch here. Why would there be such a… a _reward_, just for bringing back his cousin? And why the heck was his headache growing worse?

"That's all. You are dismissed", Tsunade nodded. The room cleared out until Tsunade and Shizune were its only occupants.

"Did you notice that?" the Hokage asked her assistant quietly. Shizune nodded. Signs of Neji having a slight headache were apparent, and both medics knew it would only get worse.

"His curse seal is going into effect", Shizune whispered.

* * *

Just outside the Hyuuga compound, Neji stood with his back against a tree, the three members of his team gathered around him. He looked at them solemnly, trying to contain the dull ache in his forehead. 

"We're leaving at the earliest time possible, so go home, get what's needed, and meet at the front gates".

He watched them leave in separate directions, then headed into his own home. As he walked down the hallway leading to his room, Neji sensed a familiar presence, teeming with agner. He entered his room only to have his suspicions confirmed; on his bed sat a furious Tenten, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, breathing uneven. "Why do you keep running out on me?" she demanded, jumping off the bed. Neji backed away instinctively as she stepped closer to him, her large, honey-brown eyes boring into his.

He was most definitely not in the mood to argue at this point, and simply side-stepped her to get to his backpack.

"I'm going on a mission", his reply was simple.

"For Hinata? I want to come".

"No".

"No?" Tenten echoed.

"No".

"But I was there. I could help - "

"Tenten", Neji interrupted, "You _haven't_ fought against the Sound Five. You don't understand what they're like".

"How can you be sure it's them? I thought they all died, or are you suggesting there's more than five people in the Sound _Five_?"

"Look, you described the two Shinobi, didn't you? I know exactly what you're talking about. I've seen them before".

"Yes, yes you have. And look how that turned out!" Tenten bit her lip bitterly to fight back the tears that were threatening to slip down her cheeks. She could feel the same paranoia she'd felt when Neji had just left the hospital creeping back into her again. There it was, the very same image of Neji as he lay unconscious on the stretcher, being carried into the hospital.

"I've improved since then", Neji replied curtly. He motioned for Tenten to move out of the way and stepped beyond her, grabbing a few scrolls from a shelf.

"Why are you like this? Why are you so insistent to go, and why can't I go?" Tenten cried, reaching out to grab Neji's backpack away from him. He snatched it back less than a second later and grabbed Tenten's arm as well, pulling her towards him until she couldn't help but allow him to move her, lest she lose balance and fall on top of him.

"You don't understand", he explained, his voice dimming into a whisper, "If I can lead a successful mission, I'll become a jounin. A _jounin_, Tenten".

She didn't know how to respond, and simply allowed him to hold her in place, until, with absolutely no warning, Neji suddenly let go of her and brought his hand to his temple, massaging it slightly.

"What's - "

"Headache", Neji waved his teammate aside and continued packing, ignoring her protests that he see a medic before leaving.

"Who's going with you?" Tenten asked.

"Shikamaru, Kiba, Ino",

"Why them? Why can't I go?"

"Because", Neji sighed. They were back to the argument they'd started out with. "You just recovered and -"

"That's not a reason anymore! I'm _fine_, and you know that!" Tenten plopped back onto Neji's bed and turned away from him. She wanted to punch him in the face, and she supposed that if she couldn't see his face, she would be less tempted to do so.

Neji had no reply for her outburst, so the pair fell into silence. Tenten eventually settled for lying on the bed, face down, head buried into whatever was there. She could still feel Neji's presence, and for those few moments, as she listened to Neji shuffling around the room, she felt a sense of security that had become so unfamiliar due to the recent events.

She could feel her mind drift a bit, although, in the background, she was still somewhat aware of Neji moving around. Then, all the noise stopped and Tenten noticed a pair of footsteps entering the room. She kept her head buried in the bed, like a child who believed she was invisible if she closed her eyes, and listened carefully. She could sense the charka of the figure who'd just entered the room and knew that whoever it was, he was quite powerful.

"Neji", the voice spoke, and Tenten recognized it as Hiashi's. _Can he not see me here?_ Tenten wondered.

"Uncle", Neji nodded and continued stuffing things into his pack.

"You _are_ aware of what this mission means for you, aren't you?" Hiashi asked.

"Yes".

"I know you don't sympathize with the Main Branch, but you have to understand, with Hinata kidnapped, the secrets of the byakugan are in danger".

"I know".

"I trust you will do your –"

"I just want to know one thing, uncle", Neji interrupted, "Why will I be a jounin if I succeed?"

Tenten heard Hiashi sigh. "I talked with the Hokage, and she's agreed to allow you to rise to Jounin level and for Ino and Kiba to become Chunnin if the mission is a success. It's fairly simple. Anyone can see you have the ability to be a Jounin, and it's our fault Ino and Kiba were pulled out of the Chunnin exams. They've passed the preliminary rounds, so if they can succeed, then they deserve to be Chunnin".

"That's it?" Neji raised an eyebrow. _That's stupid_. Still, he couldn't argue with the way things were, because they seemed to be in his favor. Sure, it would be difficult to find his cousin, and he could only hope she was in a safe condition, but other than that, it seemed that become a Jounin was much closer than he'd expected. Oh yeah, he could live with this.

"I'll leave you to pack. Good luck", Hiashi walked towards the door, paused, then turned to the bed with a wry smile on his face, "Yes, I can see you, Tenten".

* * *

Near the main entrance into Konoha Village, three Shinobi waited. The one with the blonde hair stood between her two male companions, tugging at a loose strand of hair. On her left, the shinobi scratched his head and looked up at the clouds. _Beautiful._ On her right, the shinobi petted his dog and adjusted a strap on his backpack. They were all waiting for the leader of their squad; they were all waiting to begin the mission. 

"Did you hear what Hokage-sama said?" Ino turned to Shikamaru, stealing his attention away from the clouds.

"Yeah, you and dog-boy will become Chunnin after this".

"Dog-boy?" Kiba turned to look at Shikamaru, a glint in his eyes, "you know, that's only if we succeed".

"But, of course we will. This is a fellow shinobi's life at stake. Don't you care about Hinata? She _is_ on your team", Ino continued playing with her hair, twirling a strand around her fingers.

"Of course I care", Kiba lowered his voice and looked away. Who _wouldn't_ care about someone as close as a teammate? That was a stupid question.

"Sorry", Ino muttered. Apparently, some people were just touchy about stuff like that. Still, she could understand what it was like to have a teammate in danger. Two, in fact. There wasn't a day that passed by when she didn't remember the first time she stumbled into Chouji's room at the hospital and saw him lying on that bed, hooked up to all sorts of weird machines. That was pretty traumatic. And, yeah, Shikamaru only had a broken finger, but he'd been scarred emotionally, and that was pretty tough to watch as well.

The trio became silent again and returned to their own activities. Shikamaru became immersed in the clouds again, Ino's mind had drifted off, and Kiba had found a spot on the floor and sat down, allowing Akamaru to walk around.

From far away, they looked like three kids who were hanging out, without a care in the world. But, if you got closer, you could see they weren't kids anymore. They'd grown out of that long ago.

* * *

"At least let me help you a little, ok?" Tenten hopped off the bed and walked after Neji as he exited his room, backpack slung over his shoulder. 

"What do you mean?"

"At the spot where we were attacked, both shinobi left something behind that they could be tracked by. I- I could show you".

Neji nodded.

"C'mon. It's not too far from the main entrance", Tenten seemed to brighten just a bit and she led Neji to the area where Kanaye's blood and Leiko's hair were still on the floor. "You know, I'm surprised they're still here", Tenten said lightly. Neji nodded again and bent down to retrieve the items, carefully placing them in separate bags for Kiba and Akamaru to deal with.

"Neji, be careful, ok?" Tenten's voice was unusually calm and Neji became suspicious that she was up to something. And, if she wasn't up to something, at least something was wrong with her. She didn't normally act like this.

They walked to the gates where the rest of the team waited and Neji nodded to them as they stood up. From the small distance between them, Neji could hear Ino's impatient call for them to leave, and he was ready to do just that when Tenten quickly drew him aside.

"What is it?" Neji easily recognized the troubled look on his teammate's face. Tenten opened her mouth to speak, but seemed to reconsider and closed it again, shaking her head slightly while looking away.

"What?" Neji repeated, taking her gently by the shoulders.

In the background, Akamaru's yapping and Kiba's impatient calls were making Tenten nervous, and she couldn't find the right words to say. Instead, she threw her arms around Neji and buried her head in the crook of his neck. He froze at first, unsure of what to do, but gently relaxed into the embrace and placed a hand on her back, hoping it was gesture of comfort. I mean, c'mon, he wasn't good at this kind of stuff.

Neji held her this way for a while, then gently pried the girl off him and gave her a rare smile. "I'll be fine", he told her. There was promise in his voice.

From her spot near the gates, Ino watched the scene in awe, a stirring feeling developing in her heart. She had always wanted to do that to Sasuke, ever since she'd first known him as a kid in the academy, but of course, the forehead girl got to him first. Still, even the genius Sakura couldn't keep Sasuke from leaving them all, so what could she do?

She unknowingly let out a ragged sigh followed by a quiet sniffle, which caused both guys to look at her.

"What's up with you?" Kiba asked. Ino shook her head and smiled sadly.

"Troublesome", Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head. But, it didn't take much for his super genius brain to figure out what was up. He knew his teammate well enough to know what she was thinking, and at that particular moment, he really couldn't blame her.

"Alright, it's time to go", he gently tugged Ino away from the scene and motioned for Kiba to follow as Neji approached them. The team made their way out of the village and, with one last look, took off for the forest ahead of them.

Tenten sadly watched them leave, then turned to face the Hokage Monument in the center of Konoha. In a very "un-Tenten"-ish manner, she looked at the empty spot next to the Fourth Hokage's carved face and grumbled, "While he's gone, what the hell am I supposed to do with my time?"

* * *

So, I have a question. Since everyone's split up, should I focus more on Neji and the mission, or focus on everyone equally, including Tenten and Hinata? 


	9. Chapter 8

Many thanks to my reviewers!!bloodystars357 megan sarathine sand tessen Cyberwolf lovingmylife Matahari 10Join-Fei Takky-san

So, I know that this is supposed to be about NejixTenten and romance and stuff, and it _is_, but if there's too much of that, it becomes very unrealistic. I mean, c'mon, how often do Neji and Tenten have "mushy" moments? So, since I'm trying really hard to stick to the original Naruto, this is how it's gonna be. But don't worry, there's still gonna be NejiTenten stuff soon enough!

Disclaimer: Aw, screw the disclaimer. Any idiot could figure out I don't own Naruto. (Although I'd LOVE to own Sasuke)

* * *

Chapter Eight

He wandered the woods alone, frustrated that she'd left him behind. Sure, it was he who had opted to hold back the other girl, but that didn't mean she had to leave him behind without so much as a word. This was stupid; how the heck was he supposed to find his way back? Plus, at this rate, with the bleeding that he was enduring, he wasn't even sure how long he'd survive.

In fact, now that he stopped to think about it, Kanaye realized there was so much he didn't know. He didn't even know where Leiko planned to hold the hostage and he had no idea what her plan had been all along. And just because they had this girl, that didn't mean this Hyuuga Neji was going to come to them. He felt defeated; there was no way to figure her out.

Kanaye sighed and continued walking; he hadn't bothered to jump from branch to branch, because, really, that was painful for the state he was in. Instead, he simply wandered through the forest, feeling a strange, unnerving feeling overcome him. In the rush of events that had happened during the past weeks, there had been no time for him to stop and think.

Just to stop. And think.

His mind had been numbed by the pain he felt for the loss of his brother, and although he came off as rather brutish and simple-minded, there was no denying that his heart could feel emotion. And, so, Kanaye drifted through the forest, allowing the deathly silence to buzz in his ears. He felt the anguish and he felt the grief that spread throughout him, but above all, he felt a sense of frustration that brought him almost near insanity.

Kanaye was on the verge of pretty much destroying all the trees around him, when he sensed a faint presence, no, group of presences, around him, and he paused. He slinked behind a tree and waited, trying to detect whether those presences were shinobi or civilians, friends or foe.

"Oi! Kanaye!" a high pitched, somewhat annoying voice spoke up, and Kanaye stepped out from his spot, looking around suspiciously. Across the small clearing in forest, three figures emerged, tall, thin, and multi-armed. Kanaye recognized them as Leiko's friends and he gave a sigh of relief; she _hadn't_ left him behind.

They approached him with a friendly aura and the medic among the group began healing him immediately. They took turns explaining what Leiko's instructions had been, and, apparently, the girl had figured it out way ahead of all of them. "I mean, Kidomaru had to like her for _something_", one of the guys remarked sarcastically. Kanaye could only give a weak smile, as his mind really wasn't too clear at the moment.

"C'mon, let's get started", the medic had sealed off Kanaye's wound for the moment and kept him out of life-threatening danger. He thanked her and slowly got off the ground. The group reviewed one last time what Leiko had sent them to do, then looked at each other, nodded, and moved off in different directions.

* * *

With nothing better to do, Tenten eventually wound up in front of the Hokage's office, debating silently whether she should enter or not. She had originally planned to ask for a mission to get her mind off of Neji, but then realized it might be better for her to stay in Konoha so she'd be around when they came back. 

Her mind argued back and forth with itself and she felt immensely frustrated. The perfect solution would have been for her to go _with_ Neji on his mission, but it was too late for that. With a defeated sigh, she knocked on the door and hung her head, hoping no one was in there.

But, there was. The door opened to reveal a smiling Shizune, with both hands gripping a tightly leashed Ton-ton.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Can I, um, speak to Hokage-sama?" Tenten sputtered. She wasn't ready for the door to open so soon, and the comical sight of the little pink pig caught her off guard.

"Come in", Tsuande's voice sounded from her desk. Tenten stepped into the office, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Hokage-sama, I'd like a mission please", she talked quietly, hoping to hide the uncertainty in her voice.

"A mission?" Tsunade looked at the genin in front of her, eyeing her warily.

"Yes", Tenten nodded.

Without needing an explanation, Tsunade could already understand what Tenten was thinking and she decided to simply play along. After all, it seemed the poor girl had gone through enough recently.

"Alright. I'm sending you, Sakura, and Lee on a mission", Tsunade replied, ordering her to pack her belongings and meet Sakura and Lee at the front gates.

"Thank you", there was sincerity and relief in Tenten's voice as she headed for the door. Shizune stepped aside for her to pass, but Tenten paused and turned around.

"Hokage-sama? I- I was wondering…"

"Mmhm?"

"Why did you choose Neji and his squad to have the mission that… you know".

Tsunade sighed. She knew that sooner or later, she'd have to answer this. "Each of them is on this mission for a reason, Tenten. Neji is leading them because of his duty to the head-branch, at the request of Hyuuga Hiashi. Kiba's and Akamaru's smelling abilities are essential in a missing persons mission, and Shikamaru and Ino work well as a team when it comes to long distance enemies".

"I- I see", Tenten nodded to the Hokage and her assistant, then exited the room, softly shutting the door behind her. _See? There's a good reason why you're not on this mission_, she chided herself. Her heart felt lighter after talking to the Hokage, and although she had planned on asking Tsunade why she wasn't there to sign her out of the hospital during the morning of the Chunnin exams, Tenten felt she didn't care anymore.

She returned to her own apartment and hurried into her room, preparing for her upcoming mission. There was a feeling of excitement in her stomach, but Tenten knew it wasn't that she was looking forward to a mission. I mean, c'mon, she went on missions all the time; she was a shinobi. Instead, she was excited because being out of Konoha, and being in the forest, meant she was one step closer to Neji.

* * *

Once they had entered a reasonable distance into the forest, Kiba picked up a familiar scent and began following it, ignoring the two bags that Neji had wanted him to smell. He claimed that at any other time, he would have definitely followed the leader's instructions, but this was pure instinct and he just had to follow it. Not wanting to argue, Neji had stuffed the bags of hair and blood back into his pack and followed Kiba. He wasn't used to listening to others, but Kiba had seemed so confident on this, that he really had no choice but to follow him. 

So, here they were, jumping from branch to branch, with Kiba excitedly leading the group, Akamaru nested on his head, Shikamaru and Ino behind him, and Neji taking up the rear. When Kiba announced that the scent was growing stronger, and that it definitely belonged to Hinata, Neji quickly activated his byakugan and ordered the team to stop.

"There's no way it could be this easy", he examined their immediate surroundings, but found nothing worth taking a closer look at.

"So? Do you see anything?" Ino asked quietly. Neji shook his head.

"Then let's keep going", Kiba proceeded to jump to the next branch, but Shikamaru quickly stopped him, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"If Hinata's scent is strong, then why can't Neji see the source?" he questioned.

"That's a good point. We'll move ahead cautiously", Neji left his spot on the tree branch and landed softly on the floor, motioning for the others to follow.

The passed by several trees before Kiba abruptly stopped in front of one and Akamaru started barking suddenly, declaring that Hinata's scent was stronger than ever.

"I'm telling you, it's here", he exclaimed.

Neji looked around, his eyes straining to see something, anything that would give them a hint as to where the source of the scent could be.

"There's nothing here. There's… wait", he effortlessly walked up the tree trunk and stared at one of the branches, eyes narrowing as he studied it carefully. "There are traces of chakra here, but it's…"

"It's spit", Ino spoke up. Neji looked over his shoulder to see the girl crouching next to him on the branch, nose wrinkled in disgust. "I don't understand why there's saliva here, and why you think it smells like Hinata, but, that's what it is. Spit".

"So she spit on the branch. That could have several possible meanings", Shikamaru said thoughtfully, "She could have been attacked here or she could have chosen to spit. If she'd done it purposely, it could have been as defense, or to leave us a clue".

"What do you mean, she could have been attacked here?" Kiba demanded.

"It's only a possibility", Shikamaru shrugged.

"Well, either way, we're stuck now. The scent's led us here, but what's here?" Ino hopped down from the branch and looked around.

"Try these", Neji reached into his bag and pulled out the two bags again, holding them towards Kiba, who reluctantly opened the one containing hair and took a sniff.

"Female, somewhat human", he said, mostly to himself. He tugged at the other bag and smelled it as well, "male".

Ino looked slightly disgusted at the thought of their enemies being not "human", but Neji knew what Kiba meant. "They are, in a way, human", he explained, "their charka systems are just like ours, except they have extra arms, which contain chakra as well".

"So they have more capacity for chakra?" Shikamaru asked.

"Only because they have a larger chakra system, but that's relatively unimportant. They can release chakra from pores in their bodies, not just from the hands and feet, and the one I fought was very skilled at creating chakra webs".

"I remember that", Kiba commented lightly. Shikamaru nodded in agreement. Their encounter with the Sound Five wasn't one to be easily forgotten.

Neji looked at his two male teammates, then looked down. How could _anyone_ forget that fight? He had said that Kidomaru was the strongest enemy he'd fought, and up till now, it was still true. Neji almost shuddered at the thought, but quickly forced his mind off the subject. "We have to keep moving", he interrupted, rubbing his forehead gently; the pain had dulled away, but he could still feel it.

"Whoa, slow down, you guys. I know you've all been out chasing the Sound Five and Sasuke-kun, but I don't understand what's going on. Hokage-sama didn't explain anything to me, either", Ino cut in. She looked towards her three teammates for an explanation, but was only met with sighs.

"We'll explain on the way", Shikamaru finally answered.

"This area is faintly tainted with the female's scent", Kiba sniffed the air and Akamaru let out a quiet yelp. "We can follow it".

The group took off again, heading deeper into the forest.

* * *

Sakura stood in front of the Hidden Village of Konoha, glancing up at the tall gates and trying as hard as she possibly could to mentally shut out the noise around her. Her mind had drifted to Sasuke, but in the background, she could vaguely hear Gai's shouts of encouragement to Lee as he waited to see his student off on his mission. 

_WHY am I stuck with him?_ Inner Sakura grumbled. The incessant babbles of Gai and Lee seemed to suddenly die off, and Sakura turned to see what had happened.

"Are you here to see us off as well?" Lee asked happily as he watched Tenten approach them.

"Uh, I'm going with you guys", Tenten shifted to one side and showed Lee the backpack she had slung over her shoulder. Those words, especially at this time, were like a ticket to heaven for Sakura. She yanked the girl towards her with the biggest sigh of relief that ever existed and thanked her over and over.

"You have _no idea_ how glad I am that you're coming with us", she gushed. Tenten smiled and replied, "Well, you have _no idea_ how glad I am that you're here too". Because, honestly, neither girl could endure alone time with the oh-so-infamous enthusiasm of Konoha's Rock Lee.

"Well then, I wish you all a very successful mission!" Gai patted his two students on the back and gave Sakura a flashing smile before sending them off into the forest. He retreated back to the Hokage's tower and looked at the distant figures of the three young shinobi, feeling all too proud of them.

* * *

"The two kidnappers who took Hinata are, according to Tenten, very similar to an enemy I've faced before", Neji explained, "They aren't from the Sound Five, but there must be a connection. All we know for now are their names and that they most likely have powers similar to Kidomaru". 

"Kidomaru?"

"That's who Neji fought, Ino", Shikamaru reminded his teammate.

"Right. So, now, we have their scent and we're going after them", Kiba added, "It's pretty simple".

Ino looked from one teammate to the other, then nodded. "What about the whole chakra things you guys were talking about?"

"The enemy I fought was exceptionally strong, and was skilled with manipulating chakra to imitate the powers of a spider", Neji replied, "If the two enemies we're going after are somehow related to them, they must have the same type of chakra control as well".

"Since we know that already, doesn't it put us at an advantage?" Kiba asked.

"No", Shikamaru answered seriously, "We don't know what knowledge they have of us".

Kiba hmphed in reply and the group fell silent. They continued to jump from branch to branch, occasionally changing courses, as directed by Kiba and Akamaru's noses. Several hundred meters passed by before Neji suddenly stopped the group, his keen eyes sensing danger in three surrounding directions.

"Looks like they've set traps for us", he mused.

"Traps?"

"There are explosive notes attached to all trees within a 200 meter radius in these directions", Neji motioned towards his left, right, and front. "They all seem relatively basic, but there are several that explode without contact. They're timed".

"We have to go around", Shikamaru spoke up, "There's no way to go through all of them, and we don't know how much time we have".

"No, not just around", Neji moved his head slightly so he could fill in the gap of his blind spot, then turned back to face his teammates.

"That's right", Shikamaru suddenly understood, nodding his head, "they've forced us to retreat if we want to get past the explosives".

"What are you guys talking about?" Kiba asked.

"All the notes are on the east side of the tree trunks", Neji continued, ignoring Kiba's question.

"Which means, there were multiple shinobi who place them there, and they were traveling as they did so", Shikamaru concluded.

"Still don't know what you guys are talking about!" Kiba interrupted. It was times like this, that Shikamaru's true genius and Neji's… well… "smartness", made others feel inferior.

"Why do we have to retreat?" Ino added.

"It's simple. The explosive notes are all set on the same side of the trees for two reasons. First, the shinobi who set them were traveling, and this sped up the process. Second, since they're all on the same side, either all the notes will be set off, or none of them will be", Shikamaru explained, "And that's why there are timed notes as well. If we travel from a certain direction, none of the explosives will go off, and that wouldn't be good for the enemy. So they added timed notes to trigger the other explosions".

"Either way, we can't go through this area", Kiba nodded.

"Let's go. We don't know how much time we have", Neji turned around and waited for the rest of the team to move before he moved as well, looking back one last time at the area covered in explosives.

They traveled a safe distance back from the explosives, then shifted the course and continued moving, with Akamaru's occasional yelps leading the way. It was late afternoon by the time the group stopped again, pausing in a clearing while Neji scouted out the area.

He scanned the trees, branch after branch, trying to calm the unsettling feelings in his stomach. Even though they were supposedly out of reach from danger, Neji couldn't help but feel they'd miss something. He looked to Shikamaru, wondering if the Chunnin had figured something out. From the look on his face, Neji could tell that Shikamaru sensed something was wrong as well.

"What?" Ino looked back and forth from one teammate to the other, her eyes narrowing in confusion. Ever since they'd come out here, Neji and Shikamaru had done nothing but keep her and Kiba in the dark. It felt as if their knowledge was on a whole different level.

"Something's wrong", Kiba replied.

"How do you know?" she retorted, a bit rougher than she'd meant to.

"Akamaru can sense it". It was fortunate that being a guy, Kiba missed the harshness in her voice.

"C'mon", Neji took off again and the group fell in line after him, trying to keep up with his increasing speed. Something felt incredibly wrong, and by now, every member of the team could feel it.

"I though we'd move away from the explosives!" Kiba yelled as the first explosion sounded from behind them.

"Move faster!" Shikamaru responded as he stole a glance behind him. He turned away just in time to miss a second and third explosion, which had gone off less than a meter away from him. The trees around them trembled, urging the team to move faster.

"What happened?" Ino asked as Shikamaru quickly caught up, until he was right beside her.

"They're connected!" he shouted back.

"What?!"

"The explosive notes we saw earlier! They're connected to these!"

"How's that possible?!" Ino gritted her teeth and continued moving, speeding up slightly to catch up with the rest.

_It was a trap. We fell right into the trap_. Neji thought as he continued speeding through the trees. _How could I have overlooked this?_

Several more explosions went off before the forest fell into a deathly silence, and the team took this chance to pause in one of the larger trees. They made their way towards the top where the leaves grew in thickened clumps and were easy to hide behind.

"There was another reason why those traps from earlier were all facing the same way", Shikamaru said, shaking his head, "I can't believe I didn't think of it. They purposely forced us to go this way, and, knowing we'd end up here, set more traps that we'd be sure to run into".

"But, why couldn't Neji see these traps?" Ino asked. They all looked over at Neji, who quickly averted his eyes and sighed.

"He had no way of seeing them", Shikamaru replied, "These explosive notes themselves have no power, so they can't be seen, even with the byakugan. These were connected to the time explosives through thin chakra strings that were weaved through the forest".

"And you couldn't see the chakra strings?" Kiba questioned, turning to Neji.

"I could", he replied sullenly.

"But-"

"But Chakra strings themselves are not uncommon. All living creatures have chakra, even if it's in minute amounts, and the string that was used to bind the explosive tags had minimum chakra in them, so they were concealed. The enemy must know about the byakugan", Shikamaru sighed. This was turning out to be much more difficult than anyone had expected. Maybe, just maybe, this was why Tsunade had offered to raise the rank of his three teammates if the mission was successful. Maybe she'd known all along.

"We can't stay here", Neji suddenly jumped up, his eyes darting around suspiciously. Akamaru whined and buried his head into Kiba's hood, shaking slightly. It was obvious that they weren't safe in the tree anymore.

"There are enemies down there", Shikamaru whispered as four shinobi, who were obviously from the same clan as Kidomaru, approached the tree, "and they know we're here".

* * *

Ahahahha. So, I felt like the part I'd just written was all a blur. Honestly, I have no idea what I was writing. Chakra string connecting explosive? LOL. It feels like I'm making stuff up... oh, I really hope I'm not, becuase this was supposed to be realistic. Oh geez. On top of that, school starts TOMORROW, so, it's goodbye summer. Dang. 

SO, I haven't really figured out what Tenten, Sakura, and Lee's mission is and I'm opened to suggestions, but they absolutely cannot come in contact with Neji's team at all in the forest. Any suggestions? Is there something you guys would like to see happen to Tenten, Sakura, and Lee?


	10. Chapter 9

Long time no update… sorry! School started, and that just drained away pretty much all of my spare time. Now, I'm making time for this, but it's not the easiest thing. Anyways, next chapter's here!

Mucho thanks to Chapter Eight's reviers: lovingmylive, tenten hyuuga, Trailblazer, 10Join-Fei, and Takky-san

Disclaimer: (back to the old thing) I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!!

* * *

Chapter Nine

As Neji watched the four shinobi approach, he felt his heart skip a beat. The only female of the group, a medic, judging from her chakra flow, bore an uncanny resemblance to Tenten. She had the same bun-bun hairstyle, although a lighter brown, and huge, chocolate colored eyes. But, the extra arms she had assured him there was no relation to his own teammate.

"Let's go!" Shikamaru's order snapped Neji back to the present and he silently chided himself for being so foolish. There was no time to think; he was a shinobi and shinobi had to act.

The two teams stood their ground in a clearing beneath the trees, each squad of four glaring at the other. Kanaye stepped forward, immediately recognizing the white-eyed genius from his records from the academy. "Hyuuga Neji", he stated, clenching his fists.

"Who are you?!" Ino blurted out. Shikamaru quickly shushed her, but it was too late. There was an indignant look in Kanaye's eye, and Neji could sense an aura of hatred radiating from this character.

"What do you want?" Neji asked coolly, his eyes set on Kanaye's.

"I want you dead", the reply was just as cold.

It was obvious from the look on Neji's face that he didn't have a clue why this guy was after him. As far as he could remember, he had never run into this person before. But, at the back of his mind, he was constantly reminded of Kidomaru, and part of him felt that there was a good reason why Kanaye wanted him dead; he just didn't know what it was yet.

"My brother always liked to play games", Kanaye began, "but I never thought he'd lose at any of them".

"You're brother?" Kiba spoke up. From beside him, Shikamaru stole a glance at his teammate while his mind worked. Brother… that had to mean Kidomaru and Kanaye were brothers. Now it made sense!

Apparently, Neji had figured it out at about the same time, because any trace of confusion that had been there before had now left his eyes, and was replaced with a glaring determination to defeat whoever was in front of him.

"My brother, Kidomaru", Kanaye gritted his teeth, "is going to be avenged!" He shot forward without a second thought, aiming to take out Neji in any way he could.

With his byakugan activated, Neji easily dodged the oncoming enemy and jumped back, eyes narrowing as he looked at his opponent while still remembering to keep track of where everyone else was.

He was, to be honest, a bit unsure of how all this would be fought. Were they supposed to charge at each other? Or hide and attack? There was no one to look up to, as he was the leader, and to make things worse, the rest of his team was looking to him for instructions.

Fortunately, it seemed as if Kanaye had taken charge of his own team, as he was now ordering them to back off. "This is my fight", he closed in on Neji, taking no notice of the other shinobi around him. On Neji's side, Shikamaru had decided to do the same.

"It's a fight between the two of them", he mused.

* * *

Hinata winced as a sharp pain shot through her stomach, slowly spreading to her arms and legs. She felt a strange pressure against her wrists and ankles, and saw, a moment later, that she was chained to a cold, iron bed in the corner of a dark room. The only source of light filtered through cracks in the wall and the small hole of a door where the doorknob had been broken off.

Her first reaction upon waking up to this scene was that the possibilities of escape were relatively high, as the exit seemed to be unblocked. However, the lack of a lock on the door was only a small amount of optimism compared to the rest of the situation. As a second burst of pain shot up her spine, Hinata numbly remembered that she had been poisoned and groaned in discouragement.

How long would it be until the poison finally killed her? Her kunoichi mind attempted to tell her this was no time to panic or think about death, but Hinata was a emotionally driven girl, and as we all know, emotions have one of the biggest effects on actions. (ahhahah! I learned that in my "theory of knowledge" class … cool, huh?)

Nevertheless, her will for survival was eventually able to overcome her fear, and Hinata began scouting the room for any means of escape. She weakly attempted to use her byakugan, but failed. This time, she'd have to rely solely on shinobi skills; there was no room for a blood-limit to give her an advantage.

Her first order of action was to break free of the table, but Hinata could tell just by tugging her arms that the material that held her wasn't something that could be bought at the nearest store. She suspected there was chakra running in the material that held her against the table, but couldn't be sure.

In fact, the only way she could be sure of anything was to use her eyes. There just had to be a way to get them to work. She gritted her teeth and strained her eyes, forcing a rush of chakra towards her head. It was more than obvious that her usual amount of chakra had been greatly reduced, but there was still enough.

With a great effort, her veins bulged and her white eyes turned on its power, until every bit of chakra in the room was crystal clear. Hinata carefully examined her surroundings, from the thin chakra threads that strapped her to the table, to the amount of chakra she still had in the own body.

She figured there was enough for one attempt to escape, but if it failed, she would be even worse off. Still, seeing her current situation, she was more than determined to try.

Focusing on her chakra control, Hinata sent a rush of energy to her wrists and quickly exerted it out, breaking free of the chakra bonds that had held her arms to the table. She weakly sat up, ignoring a continuous, throbbing pain inside her. She judged that the poison couldn't have been very strong, as she could still move relatively easily, and deduced that this was most likely because whoever had taken her wanted to keep her alive, if barely.

Although her hands were now free, there was still the problem of her legs, and Hinata felt too drained to try anything. She went back to laying down and shuddered at the coldness, hoping to restore a bit of the energy that had left her.

An ominous feeling crept about her and she felt as if someone was coming soon. She felt rushed to try and break free as quickly as possible, but couldn't muster up the energy to do so.

Too late. The door creaked open and a shadowed figure stepped into the room. From her outline, Hinata could tell that it was a female, but knew not to underestimate whoever it was. She quickly laid her hands against the table and closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious. Maybe the person would go away.

"I know you're awake", a cold, calculating voice spoke up, "You're breathing is uneven and strained, and you've lost quite a bit of chakra".

Hinata sighed and her eyes fluttered open, looking at her kidnapper in defeat.

"Don't worry", the voice continued, "there's no reason for me to kill you. Yet".

"What do you want with me?" Hinata dared to ask.

"Oh, it's not really _you_ that I want", came the reply, "you're just bait". Before Hinata could respond, the figure swirled around and left the room, disappearing outside. Before the door closed, Hinata managed to catch sight of a pair of glaringly sharp eyes and several sets of arms.

* * *

Upon Shikamaru's signal, he and Ino retreated to one corner of the clearing while Kiba and Akamaru retreated to the opposite side, all of them remembering to keep their eyes on the two shinobi who faced each other.

On the other end, Kanaye's three backups had retreated in to the tress as well, keeping an eye on their own teammate.

All circumstances were forgotten as Neji and Kanaye circled each other, searching for openings and weaknesses. They simultaneously drew out pairs of Kunai, took aim, and watched as the sharpened pieces of metal bounced off each other with a loud _clang_.

Neji scrutinized his opponent, observing the way the enemy moved. His byakugan read every movement clearly and he noticed that the chakra circulation of Kanaye was distinctively weaker than that of his brother.

Neji decided his next move would be to test the abilities of this shinobi, and to see whether he was capable of producing the tough, waxy covering that Kidomaru had produced from pores throughout his body.

_I've got to get close enough to hit him_. Neji caught sight of an opening and rushed forward, jabbing his fingers at the enemy's stomach. His eyes pinpointed a vital point that seemed weaker than usual, as if it had just been healed, and he brought the tip of his chakra filled hand to meet the opponent's skin. There was a satisfying _whoosh_ of chakra that escaped Kanaye's body and Neji smirked triumphantly as he closed his eyes in concentration. Just a few more hits and this guy was going down.

From his spot in the tree, Kiba watched intently as Neji moved into an all too familiar stance. It was the same one he'd seen at the final Chunnin Exams last year, when Neji and Naruto had fought. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kiba couldn't help but smile evilly. _Oh, this guy was gonna get it_.

Both Shikamaru and Ino had recognized the stance for Neji's Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou (that 64 palm thingy) as well, but while Ino silently cheered their team leader on, Shikamaru had already begun analyzing the possible outcomes of the situation.

From what Neji had said before, it seemed very likely to Shikamaru that Kanaye could protect himself from Neji's attacks simply by excreting a layer of that "armor". Shikamaru was pretty sure Neji knew that already, and he attributed this to the single hit Neji had landed on the enemy earlier.

"He's doing good, isn't he?" Ino asked, tapping Shikamaru on the shoulder.

"He's doing well", came the reply, "But we don't know what the enemy's capable of".

Neji's attack had an obvious effect on Kanaye, as he doubled over, clutching his sides. However, he wasn't to be underestimated. While any normal person would have fallen over, unable to fight anymore, Kanaye managed to stay on his feet and, even more surprisingly, continue his attacks. His face revealed the pain he felt as he shoved himself towards Neji in a blind attempt to attack bluntly.

Weapons flew out in a flurry as Kanaye threw everything he had into the fight, lunging forward unrestrained. His teammates recognized that unless they interfered, they would have to watch Kanaye tear himself apart. The medic was the first to enter the fight, throwing herself in front of Kanaye and attacking Neji with amazing chakra control, a result of her medic-training.

Neji noticed that her style of fighting was similar to Sakura's, which immediately put him at an advantage, as he not only knew Sakura's strengths and weaknesses, but also that it would be a close range fight – his specialty.

Kanaye was held back by the two other shinobi, who attempted to calm him before letting go. "This is my fight!" he roared, shaking off his two teammates.

Kanaye lunged forward once again and pushed the medic out of the way, but his teammates held him back, this time, with much more force.

"Time to join the fun", Shikamaru commented sarcastically as he left his spot on the tree, landing smoothly beside Neji. Ino and Kiba did the same and each landed on either side of Neji, poised and ready to fight.

The fight evolved into a free-for-all, with a flurry of weapons flying everywhere. Amidst the metallic sounds of kunais hitting each other and the dull noises made by punches and kicks, Neji was able to spot Kanaye with his byakugan. The unique weak spot in his chakra system that, unknown to Neji, had been caused by Tenten earlier in Konoha, was the only sign that set Kanaye apart from the others.

Neji shot forward and pinned the figure to the ground, and only when the smoke cleared did he realize he had the medic in his clutches. She had ingeniously manipulated her chakra to match Kanaye's and Neji was more than surprised to find that she could read him so easily.

His eyes traveled from the medic's daring eyes to her arms, where an unconscious Ino was strangled, breathing heavily and unevenly. All the background sounds, Akamaru's barking, Kiba's attempt to hold off the other enemies, and Shikamaru's shouting was blurred into one indistinct noise as the medic tightened her grasp on Ino and glared at Neji.

Her gaze held him hypnotically, not because she had empowered him, but because he saw an exact reflection of Tenten in those eyes. They felt identical to her and as Neji struggled to free Ino, he felt an overpowering feeling flood through him. His hands had now found their way around the medic's neck, choking her the way she choked Ino.

However, for some strange reason, he refused to kill her, as if some strange force was stopping him. Shikamaru's angry yells were drowned out as Neji's mind flew elsewhere; the medic in front of him had somehow melted into Tenten's form and he let out an audible gasp, suddenly letting go.

Behind him, Shikamaru had finally broken free of Kanaye and tossed the figure to the ground, rushing forward to where Ino was still in the clutches of the medic. Neji was standing dumbly beside them, unmoving, unblinking. Shikamaru shoved him aside and attacked the medic, freeing his teammate and catching her as she fell gracefully into his arms.

"Ino? Ino!" with one arm wrapped around his teammate, keeping her from falling by holding her against his own body, Shikamaru used his free hand to slip out a kunai and aim it at the medic, who had been caught in his "Shadow Clone Jutsu".

The medic fell to the ground with a thud, and Shikamaru felt a scratch on his arm – the result of the kunai the medic had thrown at him (because, like, they have to do the exact same motions, right?)

By now, Neji had snapped out of his dazed state and was angry at himself for blanking out. Other people had never gotten in the way of his concentration before, so what was happening to him?

There was no time to ponder over this detail, as the sounds of Kiba and Akamaru's fight reached Neji. He whirled around to see the pair attack the last two enemies left, and was surprised to see all four badly beat up. Neji wanted to make up for his lack of performance, and rushed forward to help out his team.

His byakugan was still on, and he quickly aimed two chakra filled fingers at the opponents, destroying them in a flash.

Only silence was left now, as Kiba and Akamaru sank to the floor, clutching their wounds. On the other side, Shikamaru had managed to revive Ino, who was still weakly slumped against him, her eyes only half opened. Neji stood in the middle, his head lowered, eyes boring into the ground.

He couldn't face his teammates; he had let them down. It was true, all four enemies had been defeated, but he had been unable to act in their time of need. And all for what? Because that stupid medic reminded him of Tenten? How could he even think of other things when they were on a mission? He was definitely becoming weak.

"What were you thinking!?" Shikamaru yelled into the silence. A group of birds fluttered out of the trees at the sudden noise and Neji lowered his head even more.

"You- you guys. A-Akamaru is… hurt… badly", Kiba gasped, holding his dog against him.

"Akamaru? Look at yourself", Ino replied. Her tone lightened the mood, but still, a heavy tension hung between Neji and Shikamaru.

"You didn't do anything! You just stood there when Ino was in trouble! What were you thinking?!" Shikamaru repeated angrily. His hold on Ino had unconsciously tightened and she tapped him lightly to remind him that she was ok.

Neji shook his head; he obviously had nothing to reply to that. "You and Akamaru are too injured to continue", he ignored Shikamaru's question and stepped towards Kiba, "You must return to Konoha immediately".

"But- but you guys need help", came the stubborn reply, "How will you follow Hinata's scent?"

"There's no need. I can see her already", Neji replied.

"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru demanded.

"Just now, with my byakugan. I can see her", Neji explained, "she's- she's fine". His voice was slightly uneven, and although Kiba took his word for it, Shikamaru detected a hint of a lie in his wavering voice. He understood, though, that the only way to convince Kiba and Akamaru to return to Konoha was to make them feel reassured that things would be fine.

"Ok, then. We'll be on our way back", Kiba stood up stiffly, carrying Akamaru in his arms, "Be careful".

They turned towards the opposite direction and headed back, slowly trudging through the forest.

Neji scouted the path back to Konoha and nodded to himself, "they'll be fine". This time, Shikamaru heard truth in his voice.

* * *

"What?! You're- you guys are…" Tenten was beyond shock as she managed to not stumble and fall off a tree branch.

"That's right! Both Sakura-chan and I have become Chunnin!" Lee smiled proudly, hoping for his teammate to feel proud of him as well. Tenten smiled to show she really _was_ happy for him, but at the same time, she could feel a sinking feeling in her heart. So many people around her had become Chunnin and she really felt she was falling behind. Was there something horribly wrong with her?

"Tenten, don't think about it", Sakura spoke up quietly; she could understand what the older girl was going through, since the medic-in-training had felt the same way on her own team for the longest time.

"I'm falling behind", Tenten reprimanded herself. She realized that for the past couple of weeks, she had been so focused on everything around her, that she'd left no time for training.

"No, no you're not", Sakura attempted to cheer her up, "There's -"

"Oh, Tenten! Do not think so negatively! Have faith in yourself!" Lee cut in. Sakura had to agree with Lee on this one; she didn't want Tenten to feel bad either.

"It's alright you guys, I'm fine. So, what was our mission anyways?"

"Hokage-sama never told you?" Sakura asked.

"No, she just told me to meet you guys", Tenten replied.

"I see. Originally, Lee and I were supposed to go to the rock country and escort one of their feudal lords to Konoha for a business visit. It's actually a bit of a lower rank mission, since he doesn't have any dangerous enemies".

"That's why it was enough to send just you and Lee", Tenten realized, "but Hokage-sama sent me as well just so I could have a mission. And it's only because I requested it".

"No, Tenten, do not think that way. You are a much needed member on this team!" Lee cheered. Sakura cringed slightly at the enthusiasm, becausem, as much as she admired Lee's hard-work and determination, this was a little overdoing it.

"C'mon, let's not slow down", Tenten smiled. Her two teammate nodded in agreement and all three shinobi moved on.

* * *

Gahh!! I'm really starting to dislike fighting scenes. I mean, I know that "Naurto" is full of fighting and missions and crap, but, oh geez…. this is getting hard. You know what would make me feel better? Reviews!! So get reviewing!! 


	11. Chapter 10

Why, why… WHY, are there more people who put this story on update alert than there are reviews per chapter? Honestly, I don't understand. But, by now, I've realized that I'm not writing this for the reviews. I mean, sure, they're super nice and very much appreciated, but I continue to work my butt off, putting up chapter after chapter because I'm writing this for _me_.

So, having said all that, I'd still like to thank my reviewers: Takky-san and tenten hyuuga

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!!

* * *

Chapter Ten

As soon as they were sure Kiba and Akamaru were out of hearing range, Shikamaru turned to Neji and demanded accusingly, "You have no idea where your cousin is, do you?"

This came as a shock to Ino, who, like Kiba, had believed Neji had the answers.

"I can't see her, you're right, but I can find her", Neji replied calmly.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked, looking around.

"I can't see where she is, but I've located an area in this direction," Neji motioned vaguely towards the area in front of him, "where several chakras are congregated. And, they're the same as the ones who attacked us".

"So you know where the enemy is. But that doesn't mean Hinata's with them", Shikamaru replied.

"No, but it's where we're going". The discussion was dropped and the three shinobi began traveling again.

Neji took the lead, scouting the area around the team while Ino followed after him, with Shikamaru at the end.

They moved silently, allowing the wind to rush by their ears and sting their eyes. They team traveled this way for the remainder of the day, which fortunately, was coming to an end.

All three members were exhausted from their previous fight and low on chakra, so Neji suggested they rest for the night. There was no activity among the chakras he had seen and he figured it was reasonably safe to stop here.

They camped in a clearing near a river, but made sure to stay close to a small cluster of trees for concealment. A fire was quickly started and Neji volunteered to get some water from the river.

As he walked away from the warmth of the fire, memories flooded him, making him remember the first time her had taken the Chunnin exams. He felt as if he'd gone back in time and was now reliving moments from the Forest of Death.

Just ahead of him, the river flowed merrily, ripples of water splashing against rocks. He collected enough water for the three of them, then turned to look in the direction of where Shikamaru and Ino were at. From this distance, he could only see the friendly glow of the fire, surrounded by the shadows of tall trees, all centered around a pair of shadows huddling by their only source of light.

Even without his byakugan, Neji could see the way Ino was snuggled against Shikamaru, fighting the cold, and although it was a friendly action more than anything else, Neji felt a rush of emotion flow over him.

He nearly dropped the water he'd just gotten as a sudden gust of wind blew past him, sending chills up his spine. It wasn't really the cold weather that made him shiver, but rather, the lack of warmth in his body… and heart.

He realized he'd never thought of anything other than excelling as a shinobi before, but seeing the close friendship between Shikamaru and Ino made him think of his own relationship with Tenten.

What was she doing now? Did she ever think of him? Why the hell was he even wondering about what she thought?

Neji shook his head to clear his mind, then tightened his grip on the water and trudged back towards the fire. As he stepped closer, he was surprised to see that Ino hadn't been snuggled against Shikamaru, but had, instead, fallen asleep against him.

Her hands were folded neatly in her own lap and her body had fallen to one side, unable to support herself while she was asleep. There was really no sign of even attempting to "snuggle".

Shikamaru, on the other hand, had one arm wrapped protectively around Ino, while the other was propped against the ground, supporting both of their weights. His hold on her was similar to the way he'd held her just a few hours ago, when Ino had fallen unconscious to the medic-nin.

Neji cringed as the scene from their most recent fight replayed itself in his head and he nearly dropped the water for the second time.

Upon sensing his presence, Shikamaru looked up and nodded at Neji, motioning with his eyes for him to set the water near the fire. They unpacked a portion of the food they'd brought and, deciding that waking Ino would be a rather dumb thing to do, as she didn't eat much anyways, dug into their food.

Halfway through the silence, Shikamaru asked in a quiet tone, "Neji, what happened to you back there?"

Neji looked up from the water he was drinking and sighed, knowing he'd have to explain sooner of later. Besides, even if he didn't, Shikamaru would figure it out anyways.

"I just… blanked out for a moment", he said carefully.

"Blanked out? You hesitated, Neji. You knew what you were doing, and you knew what you were supposed to do, but you held back".

_Damn_. Why the heck did Shikamaru have to be so smart?

"Well, if you've already figured that out, then why are you asking me?" Neji retorted.

"Because there has to be a reason you hesitated", Shikamaru replied, "was it because she looked like Tenten?"

Neji's eyes narrowed upon hearing his teammate's name and Shikamaru immediately knew he'd hit the right note. This was his chance to probe further and find out more about the ever-so-distant Hyuuga Neji.

It wasn't like he cared much for this guy or even wanted to be his friend, but Shikamaru knew what he was asking about was important; the way someone dealt with personal issues had a significant effect on their performance during missions, and he knew they couldn't afford a repeat of what had happened earlier.

"It's not just that she looked like her", Neji finally spoke up, "I felt like I actually saw Tenten, instead of her".

"Couldn't it have been a genjutsu?" Shikamaru asked.

"No. It wasn't", Neji knew that a genjutsu would have been much easier to deal with, especially with his byakugan. He rubbed his head lightly and sighed. The dull ache in his forehead had come back and by now, he'd figured out it was the curse seal doing is work.

He knew he had limited knowledge of how the Hyuuga Clan's curse seal worked, but he knew enough to know that the pain in his head was caused by his brain cells being destroyed, and judging by how little it hurt, he decided that it was a relatively slow process.

He was also sure that at the moment, only his uncle could perform the hand seals to activated his curse seal. Which, really, seemed ridiculous to Neji. Hiashi had been the one to send Neji on the mission, so why would he hurt him as well? Neji could only conclude that it was a "friendly" reminder to hurry up.

Shikamaru noticed his teammate's discomfort and suggest that Neji sleep for a bit, while he took the first watch. Neji agreed and retreated to a corner of their camp, falling asleep almost immediately.

Shikamaru watched as the fire dimmed until only a few sparks were left. A chilly wind blew over the group, but he made no move to fix the fire. It was too late at night and the light would only attract enemies. As far as the cold, he could see that Neji seemed to be fine and Ino was safely tucked against him.

_She's gonna freak when she wakes up and see's I'm not her "Sasuke"_, Shikamaru thought sarcastically. Still, he kept a firm grip on the girl and tilted back his head, looking up at the sky.

The fire had completely burned out and the stars were shining brilliantly against the black backdrop of night. To him, the second most beautiful things, after clouds, of course, were stars. They were almost a nighttime version of clouds, really, and for some strange reason, they helped him feel calm and relaxed.

The time flew by and Shikamaru was unaware of how long he had been looking up, until he felt Ino stir slightly, then shift a bit against him before finally jumping out of his arms in shock. Apparently, she was way past surprised to find herself waking up in such a situation.

Her blue eyes, now a dark indigo, as it was night, were so huge and full of shock, that Shikamaru had to hold himself back from laughing out loud. He quickly shushed Ino and pointed to the sleeping figure of Neji, while trying to stifle his laughs at the same time.

It wasn't too difficult to calm his teammate down and Shikamaru soon found himself with his back against the grassy floor, eyes slowly closing into a deep, much needed sleep.

* * *

As nighttime neared, Hinata felt a wave of sleepiness fall over her and, against her wishes, she fell asleep with her hands laying limply at her sides. Earlier that day, she had been trying to gather enough chakra to free her feet from the bounds as well, but had failed miserably. Her best hope, as of now, was to rest and try again tomorrow, when she had a bit more chakra stored up. 

From outside the confinements of the room, Leiko watched as the prisoner's head slumped to one side, her chest rising and lowering steadily. She could tell the little girl was asleep and was surprised that anyone would be able to sleep in such a situation. Still, there was no doubt the girl was beyond tired, and Leiko had to silently admit she was a bit impressed. The girl she'd captured certainly wasn't a strong one, but she had amazing willpower. For anyone to remain sane for this long was really a surprising thing.

_Oh well, tomorrow's another day for her to lose it,_ Leiko thought smugly. She looked at the missing doorknob on the door and smiled. There was no need to fix such a trivial thing. That little girl couldn't even get off the bed, and besides, the whole point was to lure Hyuuga Neji here. A simple door, with or without a knob and lock, was not going to keep someone like him out.

_You better hurry here so I can kill you, Hyuuga Neji_, Leiko thought. She heaved a deep sigh to calm herself, then headed for the small tent she'd set up just outside the room where Hinata was held. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but this area in the forest was the only place Leiko could think of, and so, she endured it.

As she entered her tent, Leiko felt a sudden, ominous feeling overcome her. A dreadful, sinking feeling swallowed her and for a moment, she choked, unable to breathe. Her first reaction was to hurry outside the tent, but everyone else seemed to be fine. The shinobi who were standing guard looked a bit bored and the rest of the back-ups seemed content with what they were doing.

But, Leiko could definitely feel something was wrong. Maybe it was Kanaye. Did that idiot get himself beat up? Or worse… could he have- _No, don't think about that_, Leiko chided herself. She shook her head and tried to clear herself of the feeling, but it continued to creep upon her and she quickly returned to her tent, lest the other shinobi notice how weird she was acting.

_Kanaye's fine_, she repeated in her head. That guy may have been a blundering idiot at times, and sure, his rage often got the better of him, but he couldn't be beaten that easily… could he?

_Think about who he was up against, _a mocking voice rang in her ears, _Hyuuga Neji. If that guy could defeat Kidomaru, what makes you think Kanaye could do any better?_ Leiko grabbed at her hair and groaned, frustrated that her continuous attempts to clear her head were failing. This was _not_ the time to lose it. If she was to avenge Kidomaru, she'd have to stay focused.

_Remember what you're supposed to do_, she thought to herself, _remember what you're capable of doing! _Slowly, Leiko opened her eyes and looked up at the tattered roof of her tent. The feeling still hadn't left her, but she had calmed herself down enough to be able to deal with it maturely.

If something _had_ happened to Kanaye, it wasn't like she could do anything now. Sure, that guy was an important part of their clan, and one of her very good friends, but they were still shinobi. And she had to accept that death was inevitable.

_Just don't think about it for now_, she coached herself. She would save her anger and rage for later.

* * *

Neji awoke early in the morning to find Shikamaru sprawled out on the grass and Ino gazing at the sky, her long hair unbound and flowing feely behind her. Another pang of nostalgia hit him and he remembered the first time he'd stumbled upon Ino during the Chunnin exams. Back then, he'd thought he was better than everyone else and was more than offended that a rookie would even dare talk to him. But now, he knew better. 

There was just a hint of pink in the sky and the moon was still a bit visible. Neji estimated that the sun would be up in an hour or so and he relieved Ino of her guard duty so she could grab a bit more sleep.

Neji settled against the trunk of a large tree and turned his gaze to the same spot Ino had been looking at. He could understand why she'd been so transfixed on that one place in the sky, for there seemed to be just a hint of gold mixed in with the pink sky, suggesting that the sun would rise at that location. He relaxed into a comfortable position and allowed his mind to drift, while twirling a kunai in one hand, much like the way Tenten twirled her weapons.

The morning air was refreshing and for just a fraction of a second, Neji found himself wishing he wasn't a shinobi. He wondered what it would be like to have a different life; a life without missions, danger, or death waiting right around the corner. But, a life like that would have no meaning either. No one to protect, no nindo to follow, no motivation.

He sighed and turned his gaze, which had fallen to the grassy floor, back towards the sky. The sun barely peeked out beyond the horizon and Neji squinted as he watched it rise bit by bit.

It was time to get going again and he reluctantly moved from his spot to wake Ino and Shikamaru. Without a word, the three packed up their belongings, destroyed all evidence that they'd camped there, ate a quick meal, and continued towards their destination.

* * *

In the dead center of the Rock Country laid a mansion, surrounded by a range of dark forests on the northern and eastern ends, a busy town on its southern side, and a vast lake in the west, where the sun set everyday. The mansion itself was magnificent, no doubt, but it was really the courtyard near the lake that captured the attention of any passer-by. 

The courtyard wasn't too large or extravagant, but instead, had a serene, natural aura to it. The neatly lined fence that surrounded it was gleaming with a coat of fresh, white paint, which reflected the golden-orange of the sky as day morphed into dusk.

In the center of the courtyard, there existed a small fountain, with wave after wave of water splashing down several small ponds before landing in the bottom-most one. Around the fountain, on the stone benches that gleamed even whiter than the fence, sat three shinobi.

The only male of the group sat facing away from the fountain, his back turned towards the lake and the sunlight reflecting off the green jumpsuit that he proudly wore. On either side of him sat a kunoichi, one with an unusual shade of pink hair, the other absentmindedly twirling one of her weapons.

Although they seemed relaxed, the trio was actually feeling quite tired from their journey. They leaned against the stone edge of the fountain and looked at the mansion in front of them, enjoying the refreshing evening air as they waited. They were waiting to meet the daimyo, who would be briefing them with more details about their mission.

Just a few moments later, a figure appeared at the doorway of the mansion, hunched and leaning heavily on a cane. A second figure appeared behind him, female, slender, and lazily slouched.

The three shinobi from Konoha stood to meet them and made their way to the house, entering upon the careless gesture given by the girl at the door. She was the daughter of the daimyo and, although unbearably lazy in nature, had dedicated her life to taking care of her father, who stood beside her.

As they entered the first room of the large estate, the daimyo motioned for his guests to take a seat. The three shinobi knelt on soft, white pillows while the daimyo took a seat across from them, his daughter holding his cane and standing politely behind him.

"I am Rock Lee, and these are Sakura and Tenten", the shinobi in the middle bowed slightly as he introduced the team. The daimyo returned the gesture.

"My father is weak", the daughter began, "and as daimyo, there are many who wish to hurt him for power".

"That's why we're here", Sakura smiled, "we'll do our best to protect you".

Tenten nodded in agreement and Lee grinned.

"We will be leaving for Konoha in two days", the daimyo said, "there are rooms prepared for you and you are welcome to come and go from the house as you wish".

"Please be ready to leave in two days", his daughter added.

The three Konoha shinobi bowed and left the room.

As they walked down the long hall, led by a quiet housemaid, Tenten took the time to look around and examine her surroundings. She'd always been complimented on her exceptional observation skills, which she attributed to hours of weapons training, and she planned to live up to those praises.

Her eyes scanned the walls and looked for any weak points, just in case the daimyo was to be attacked in the house. She knew that there had to be guards everywhere and the daimyo had been fine all this time before they showed up, but she felt like doing it anyways.

They were led to a large door which led to Lee's room, then showed to the door beside that, which would lead to a room shared by the two girls. They housemaid left them there and scurried off to do whatever work she had, so, without further directions, the shinobi went into their respective rooms.

Upon stepping into the place where they would be rooming, Tenten and Sakura were met with a gorgeous view of the lake they'd seen earlier. Through the large, glass windows of the room, the reflection of the sunlight against the lake's smooth surfaced bounced into the room, coloring the white walls with a pale orange.

The lake water itself shimmered and the whiteness of it all felt like a relief to both girls, who unconsciously sat down on the tatami mats they were given and stared outside. They were only brought back to the present when the door banged open and Lee entered, grinning widely, as he'd just relieved himself in the nearby restroom. His noisy entry made both girls jump and they turned to give him the "evil look".

The day went on this way, with small bits of bickering between the three teammates. But, as the darkness of night finally settled over them, the three shinobi decided that, if they were to complete their mission as quickly as possible, they'd need to rest.

So, without another word, they returned to their beds and slept.

* * *

That was a peaceful chapter. GRINS. 

Ok, Question! Do you guys want to see some stuff about Naruto, and Sasuke, and like… everyone? Or should I stay with what I'm doing now and just split the story three way, with Neji's team, Tenten's team, and Hinata? And do you guys want to see what Tenten's team does during the 2 days they're just hanging around?


	12. Chapter 11

'Sup.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

As the midday sun reached its peak in the sky, Neji and his team finally reached the site where Hinata was being held. They stopped all movements about 50 meters away and Neji quickly scanned the area with his byakugan.

His eyes told him that around 20 or so shinobi were stationed here, about 10 of which were simply hired guards. He figured the rest were close associates of the enemy, and likely to be threats.

"We're outnumbered", he stated flatly, turning to Shikamaru and Ino. His teammates stared back at him.

They were currently standing on the highest branches of a tree, well concealed behind the leaves to avoid all enemies. Shikamaru sat down along one of the longer branches and folded his hands in front of him with the tips of his fingers pressed against each other, palms facing up.

"What are you doing?" Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Shhh! He's thinking", Ino replied. She recognized to all-too-familiar sign that her genius teammate was now deep in thought. Although, usually, whenever he sat like this, it was right before he kicked Asuma in the butt at Shogi.

Now, however, Shikamaru was coming up with a plan to safely retrieve a fellow Konoha shinobi.

While he waited for Shikamaru to say something, Neji turned around again and looked for Hinata. He spotted her in a room and carefully traced the lines of her chakra system, noticing the poison that was intertwined with her organs.

Judging from the speed and amount of chakra that still flowed through her, he estimated that she had a little over two days to live.

"Do you know exactly where Hinata is?" Shikamaru asked quietly, breaking the silence. Neji nodded.

"Hinata-sama is being held in a small cabin-like room at the center of the shinobi. There are guards on all sides".

"Do any of them seem like some sort of leader?"

Neji checked again, allowing his byakugan to linger over the features of each shinobi, carefully studying their weaknesses.

"Yes. There's only one female in the group, and according to Kiba, one of the kidnappers 'smelled' like a female".

"So the rest are under her command", Ino nodded.

"That's right", Shikamaru agreed, "All we have to do is get her under our control. Then, it'll be easy after that".

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Ino asked.

Shikamaru looked at her, smiled, and Neji caught his meaning immediately.

"Shintenshin no jutsu (A/N: that mind transfer thingy… you know?)", he explained.

Ino looked at both of them like they were crazy because, although she'd used that jutsu countless time in the past, it would be completely different this time.

"You want me to do it while she's just there?" she asked, "What if I miss?"

"She's right", Shikamaru nodded, "I'll just have to make sure the target isn't in motion".

"But if there are any shadows, they'll be spotted", Neji said thoughtfully.

"We have to wait", Shikamaru stated firmly, "We have to wait until it's the afternoon and the shadows are long. Then, my shadow will stay hidden".

"And after that? What do I do after?" Ino asked.

"She must have some sort of power over them", Shikamaru murmured, "but Ino can only stay in there for so long. When she gets out, they'll all know".

"We have to get Hianta out of there fast", Neji explain, telling his teammates about the poison.

"I've got it!" Shikamaru's eyes lit up, "When the sun is in the right place, I'll capture the female with my Kagemane no Jutsu. Ino takes her over, creates an opening, and Neji, you'll retrieve Hinata and take her back to Konoha first, while Ino and I take care of the rest".

"That's not possible", Neji countered, "You two will be outnumbered 10 to 1".

"But that's not all", Shikamaru replied, "While you take Hinata back, set traps. All we have to do is lead them into the traps".

"Wait… but… if Neji sets the traps, won't we run into them as well?" Ino asked.

"Not if we know exactly where he's set them", Shikamaru answered. Neji smiled. He had to admit Shikamaru was one smart kid, and, although he'd always thought he'd be better off working alone, he was glad the lazy genius was on his team this time.

The finished discussing the minute details of the plan, then sat back and waited, as there was nothing else they could do. At one point, hunger began tugging at their stomachs, but food was out of the question, since its scent could easily be caught by the enemy.

"We'll just have to endure it", Shikamaru said quietly, rubbing his empty stomach. Beside him, Ino sat with a slight frown, tugging at a loose strand of hair.

Neji sat opposite his two teammates on the tree, staring up at the sky and silently calculating the position of the sun. He roughly estimated that they'd have to wait for another twenty minutes or so before the shadows became long enough for them to work with.

"Are you sure we didn't leave anything out?" Shikamaru asked.

Neji shook his head, by checked one last time to make sure. "It doesn't look too difficult", he murmured, "Hinata-sama isn't restrained as heavily as I'd expected. She's just bait. I'm who they want".

His mind flew back to the earlier encounter with Kanaye and enemy's words replayed in his head.

"_My brother always liked to play games, but I never thought he'd lose at any of them…My brother, Kidomaru, is going to be avenged!"_

"They only took her so I would come after her", he said, mostly to himself. This whole mission was his own fault, "Maybe I should stay and fight".

"No, you can't blame yourself", Ino replied.

"C'mon, it's about time", Shikamaru stood up and folded his arms behind his head, looking up at the sky one more time. Ino nodded and stood up beside him, her gaze traveling from her teammate to the sky as well.

The three shinobi each took a deep breath, looked at each other, and moved into position.

* * *

Tenten awoke that morning to a beautiful sunlight-filled room. She rolled onto her side and glanced at the tatami mat across the room, where a once asleep Sakura had been.

Now, the blankets were strewn across the bed, with a corner dangling close to the floor. _What time was it?_

Tenten sat up in her own bed and yawned, stretching out her arms before stepping onto the cool, wooden floor. She walked over to Sakura's bed and placed a hand on the pillow. It was cool, which meant Sakura had been up for a while now.

"I hope I didn't miss anything important", Tenten muttered as she quickly threw on her clothes.

As she reached out to grab the door handle, the door flew open, almost smacking her in the face. A freshly showered Sakura, hair dripping wet and clad in a fuzzy bathrobe, hurried into the room, apologizing at the same time.

"Oh! Tenten, did I hit you? I'm so sorry! I just- it's just- Lee-"

"Lee? Did something happen?" Tenten's eyes grew wide at the mention of her teammate's name.

"No, no. Nothing like that!" Sakura waved a hand carelessly in front of her, "He's prowling around outside and I forgot to bring clothes with me when I went to shower".

This remark was met with silence, followed by a burst of laughter from Tenten, who obviously found the younger girl's comments hilarious.

"I'm serious!" Sakura frowned, clutching the robe tighter to herself.

Tenten smiled lightly, then patted the girl on her shoulder, "Here, you get dressed and I'll go deal with Lee".

Sakura nodded thankfully then waited as Tenten stepped out of the room before double locking the door.

* * *

Shikamaru and Ino crept quietly among the bushes surrounding the enemy's camp, surveying the area and looking for possible openings. They spotted Leiko emerging from her tent and walking towards the small cabin at the center of the camp and Shikamaru knew immediately that Hinata was being held inside.

He motioned for Ino to get ready, then waited in his spot as Leiko reemerged from the cabin a few moments later, her facial expression markedly angrier. Had Hinata, _the_ quite and shy Hinata, managed to piss her kidnapper off?

That was a funny thought.

As Leiko stepped closer to the shadowed area, Shikamaru focused his chakra and aimed his shadow at her feet, capturing her in an instant. He made sure to face forward, so that the captured shinobi couldn't see his face.

"Go!" he hissed. Ino nodded and aimed for the enemy's head. She didn't miss.

As Ino's body fell limply against him, Shikamaru let go of his jutsu and gathered the girl in his arms. He hated the lifeless feeling that was present at the moment, but it was necessary.

Shikamaru retreated behind the bushes and watched as Ino, now settled comfortably in Leiko's mind, walked around a little to test out her new body. _Hurry up, hurry up. _Shikamaru thought silently.

He looked at the opposite side of the camp and caught Neji's presence behind a cluster of trees, ready to strike as soon as there was an opening. He then watched as several guards were sent to do various tasks, leaving a weak spot in the defense for Neji to rush in.

When the time came, Neji slipped out from behind the trees and hurried to the cabin, finding it extremely easy to break in. The stupid door wasn't even locked.

He found his cousin sitting up on the iron bed, working furiously as she tried to free her legs from the bounds on the bed. She looked up at the sound of the door opening and life seemed to flow back into her eyes.

"Neji-nii-san!" she sounded shocked.

Neji didn't reply, but instead, quickly freed her from the bed and slung her over his shoulder, making his exit as quickly as he entered.

Once he stepped outside the cabin, he was surrounded by a group of shinobi, including the female. Without hesitation, he jumped back and made his way into the forest, knowing that the shinobi would be on his tail soon enough.

As he ran away from the cabin, Shikamaru and Ino emerged from the bushes, both in their own bodies.

"She fought the whole time", Ino explained breathlessly, "I couldn't last very long! I'm sorry!"

"No, it's fine. We got her back", Neji motioned to the girl slumped against his back.

"Neji, go back to Konoha! Go!" Shikamaru gave their team leader a small push and Neji took off.

"Nii-chan? What's going on?" Hinata's already quite voice was barely audible, and the way the poison drained her energy was apparent..

Neji didn't reply at first, and contemplated on whether he should tell everything to the girl now or later.

"I'll explain in a bit", he finally said.

As he jumped from branch to branch, he could sense Hinata's consciousness slowly slipping away. The poison was still hurting her organs, and he sped up even more.

When he reached a certain distance from the cabin, Neji quickly paused to set a few traps with explosive notes, then continued on. His headache had returned, and he gritted his teeth, angry that his uncle was punishing him even in a time like this.

Well, he supposed he couldn't really call it "punishing", but either way, it was really dumb to put him in pain while he was on his mission. Hinata's weight was beginning to slow him down, and he knew he needed a break soon, or he would soon lose efficiency.

* * *

Tenten walked cautiously through the hallways of the huge mansion, carefully searching for clues that could tell her where Lee was.

She walked by a restroom that still had slightly fogged mirrors, telling her this had been the one Sakura was using. That meant Lee had to be nearby, since it was unlikely that Sakura would wander far from the restroom without her clothes.

"Lee?" Tenten called out. No reply.

She shrugged and decided to keep walking, until she found herself in the kitchen, or, rather, one of the kitchens of the house.

Lee was in there, sitting on a chair at the far side of the room, hungrily gobbling down… stuff… that was on his plate.

"Tenten! Come and join me in consuming this delicious food!" he greeted.

"Most people would just say 'good morning'", Tenten muttered under her breath. Nevertheless, she joined her teammate at the table and sat across from him, watching him eat. She seemed to have suddenly lost her appetite and simply sat there, waiting and praying for Sakura to show up soon.

"Do you not wish to enjoy some of this delicious food as well?" Lee offered. Tenten smiled and shook her head, mumbling something about not being hungry in the mornings.

They continued to sit in silence, and with nothing better to do, Tenten found her mind drifting to Neji.

He seemed to be plaguing her thoughts a lot lately, and she didn't really know why. Well, sure, they were teammates, and she cared a lot for him, but she'd never felt so worried about him before.

Was he back from his mission yet? Was it successful? Was he in Konoha waiting for her?

_Uh, hold up, "waiting for you"? That's ridiculous, _a voice teased. Tenten almost looked up to see where the voice had come from, but realized it was inside her head and she shrunk back into her seat, pulling her arms tightly against her so that she was as stiff as the chair she was currently sitting in.

"Tenten! Why are you so silent? Is something troubling you?" Lee had nothing more than good intentions, but Tenten was not in the mood to be questioned, so she simply shook her head and looked to the door, still wishing Sakura would show up soon.

And, she did. The pink-haired kunoichi, now freshly dressed in her clothes, stepped through the doorway and smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good morning!" It was a simple, polite gesture, but it was enough for Lee to sit straighter up in his chair and return the greeting with twice as much enthusiasm.

"Come join us", Tenten smiled. She had, for the moment, forced herself out of her thoughts in order to put on the happy face to keep both Sakura and Lee from worrying about her. But, it wasn't too easy.

As her two teammates talked amongst themselves, Tenten's mind slowly slipped back into her own little world and she tried hard to drag it back to the present, but hopelessly failed.

She didn't hear Sakura ask her what she wanted to do that day and she didn't hear Lee repeatedly call out her name, and only did both of them stand fully in front of her and scream "TENTEN!" in her face, did she come back again.

"Are you not listening?" Lee asked, looking at her with a somewhat worried expression. Tenten grinned.

"No, I'm fine"

Her reply didn't even make sense with the question Lee had just asked, but her teammates brushed it off as something minor and they spent the rest of the morning in that room, talking about random things while stuffing some food in their mouths in between.

It was one of the few moments when Tenten felt truly relaxed, and she allowed the chattering of her two teammates to take her mind off of other things, especially Neji. She would see him soon enough and there was no use in worrying about it right now.

* * *

Neji shifted the weight of his cousin from one shoulder to the other and continued through the forest, marking out a tree in the distance that would serve as the resting point. Despite the girl he was carrying, he managed to land smoothly on a branch and set her down gently.

Surprisingly, Hinata was still conscious, and as she felt herself being placed on a hard, wooden surface, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.

She saw the forest around her and noticed that the small cabin which she had been in was no longer in sight.

"You're still poisoned, so don't move", Neji ordered. Hinata nodded and looked at her cousin, who had his forehead pressed against the two palms of his hands.

"Does it hurt?" she asked quietly. Neji made no reply, but his meaning was clear.

"I don't understand", Hinata continued. Even as the eldest daughter of the head branch, she had very limited knowledge about the Hyuuga family's curse seal.

She understood that it caused pain, and she knew it had to be caused by a member of the head family and that there were certain hand seals involved, but that was about all she knew. Oh, and something about brain cells.

"It's your father", Neji murmured, "I'm sure you haven't been taught the hand seals yet, so it must be your father".

"Why?"

"He wants you back. He sent me on this mission and he wants you back. This is just a warning to hurry up", Neji sighed.

"I'm sorry", Hinata mumbled. She knew she couldn't really understand how her cousin felt, only that it was probably worse than anything she had ever had to endure.

"We're going", Neji said abruptly, "there's limited time".

As he took off once again, carrying Hinata on his back, he took out a few explosive tags and tossed them onto certain parts of the surrounding trees, hoping that his continuous headache wasn't affecting his aim.

_Shikamaru, Ino. I'm counting on you guys_, he thought silently.

* * *

As Leiko rushed off towards the same direction Neji had left in, followed by a group of shinobi, Shikamaru and Ino stepped out, taking a defensive stance against their enemies.

Leiko looked at Shikamaru and narrowed her eyes. She'd heard him call the other shinobi "Neji", and now knew that her target was moving away towards safety as she stood there.

"Move, dammit!" she growled. She wanted to, but she didn't charge forward blindly. She had to figure this out before just jumping in.

Shikamaru smiled, glanced at Ino and caught her eye, nodded, then jumped up. Both Shinobi from Konoha leapt into their respective places on the branches, then retreated, leading their enemies towards the traps that Neji had set.

"You're sure this is going to work?" Ino asked. As she felt the incredible speed of the shinobi chasing after them, a flaw in their plan suddenly dawned on her.

"Heh, you noticed too?" Shikamaru smirked. It was too late now to do anything. Neither of them had remembered to pay attention to the difference in speed between the two teams and it wasn't until now that they realized there was just one itsy-bitsy problem.

Leiko and her team could easily catch up with them.

"No, no, that doesn't matter", Shikamaru said finally. He continued to move from branch to branch, while remembering to keep an eye on both the team chasing after them as well as his teammate, who was now quite a bit ahead of him.

_The first set of explosives should be coming up soon_, he thought. He could only hope that Ino was able to remember clearly which areas to avoid.

As he safely passed the first set of explosives, Shikamaru could only silently cheer themselves on as several explosions sounded behind him, hindering a couple of the shinobi who were on their tails.

Of course, as expected, Leiko and most of the team managed to avoid the trap and continued on, emerging out of the cloud of dust and debris with triumphant looks on their faces.

Obviously, they weren't going to give up so easily.

"Next one's coming up", Shikamaru hissed as he sped past Ino. She narrowed her eyes and nodded.

The next set of explosives failed, yet again, to hinder Leiko, although it took out a considerable amount of her team.

Shikamaru grunted in frustration and sped up even more, urging Ino to move faster as well.

"How much time do we have left?" Ino asked between huffs of breath.

Shikamaru turned his head slightly to look behind him and guessed that if one of the next two explosives didn't take Leiko out, they would have to turn around and fight.

The pair passed the next set of explosives and waited for their enemies to run into the trap, but the "boom" that they expected to hear never arrived.

"They've figured out our traps", Ino muttered.

Shikamaru had to agree that the enemy was fast, but of course, he'd counted on something like this to happen. "Don't worry", he said to Ino, "They may be smart, but we're smarter".

As he completed his sentence, the last explosion, or rather, _explosions_, went off, setting the forest around them ablaze.

"What was that?!" Ino was caught completely caught off guard, for the last explosion wasn't just a single explosive note, or even two or three, but instead, was an entire defensive line of explosives that Neji had set, leaving enough space for his two comrades to pass by safely.

"That was our trump card", Shikamaru smirked.

They had planned it early on, since it was obvious a few explosives wouldn't hinder their current enemies.

"I see", Ino said thoughtfully as she worked things out in her head, "You guys knew the enemy would easily be able to guess where the explosives were, so you set up a pattern that would cause them to take a certain path. And then, you set the massive explosives right in their way!"

_Smart girl_, Shikamaru thought as he looked as his teammate.

They covered the last bit of distance between them and Konoha, and when they finally landed outside the large walls, Shikamaru and Ino gave each other a look and burst out laughing.

All the worry and tension flooded out of them as they ran through the gates, nodding to the two jounins standing guard before making their way up to Tsunade's office, their spirits considerably lighter than before.

Before pushing open the door that would lead to their Hokage, Ino suddenly stopped and asked softly, "Do you think they're really all gone?"

Shikamaru's eyes drifted to her, then down to the floor and he replied just as quietly, "Most likely not".

"But-"

"They'll be heavily injured and wouldn't risk going after us. Besides, we have ANBU patrolling the area. They aren't just there to wear those funny masks, you know", Shikamaru's tone had lightened and there was just a hint of a smile on his face as he opened the door to see Tsunade.

Instead of the wry smile of their Hokage and the sweet grin of her assistant, Shikamaru and Ino found themselves staring at the back of Hyuuga Hiashi, who was speaking urgently with the Hokage.

The only thing the two younger shinobi heard before quickly closing the door again was, "I must see both Hinata and Neji immediately. It is of the utmost importance".

* * *

So, the mission has _finally_ ended. I have to admit, I was getting a bit sick of it. But, what's Hiashi up to?


	13. Chapter 12

NOOOOOOOO!!! I have writer's block. Or, actually, I think I just have block. That's why it took forever to update.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!! Oh… by the way, I saw the CUTEST thing yesterday. One of my friends had the shirt that Sasuke wears (the blue one with the Uchiha crest on it), but it was tiny and her water bottle was wearing it. Isn't that so CUTE?? Tell me it's cute!! Haha. Jk!

Many a thanks to my awesome reviewers!!! - Takky-san . tenten hyuuga . tenjichan . whitephoenix13 . Mina . Pure-Rose-Kunochi . Uzumaki Sharuto . Gabbyrella . xxX POISON Xxx

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Neji stumbled through the doors of Konoha Hospital, the unconscious Hinata on his back earning attention from all the nurses in the lobby. She was rushed into a room and medics were called on immediately to heal her.

As members of the staff pushed past him, Neji managed to make his way outside the room and found a seat just down the hall, where a row of chairs had been set up for visitors.

He plopped down in the first seat and sighed, then rested his elbows on his knees, back bent, head down.

The throbbing in his head had disappeared, although he was unaware of when it had gone away. All he knew was that he felt somewhat better than before, although he was still very tired.

It was late evening now, and he missed his bed more than anything. He mentally ran through everything that had happened in the past few hours and decided that, for the most part, he'd completed his mission.

But, as the squad leader, and as a member of the branch family, he knew he still had a few responsibilities to take care of.

His first step was to find Kiba, who Neji hoped had made his way back safely.

The hallway around the corner was bare, and as Neji walked along the corridor, his footsteps echoed slightly off of the whitened floor and walls.

With the help of a directory, it didn't take Neji too long to find Kiba's room. He stood in front of the door, fingers resting upon the handle, but refused to move any further.

There were low whispers coming from the room, two female voices, and Neji wondered vaguely if this was really the right room.

A second later, the yapping of Akamaru confirmed that he was right and Neji reached up to knock.

As the door opened, Neji realized that the two female voices he'd heard belonged to Kiba's mother and sister, who had simply dropped by for a visit.

"Uh- I-Just checking to make sure you're in good condition", Neji lowered his head slightly into a nod, then turned to leave. He didn't want to intrude on whatever family reunion they were having.

"Wait! What about Hinata?" Kiba's voice sounded surprisingly strong and demanding.

"She's been brought back. She's under the care of our medics", Neji replied.

"So she's safe", Kiba repeated, as if he wanted to make sure he'd heard it right the first time.

"Yes"

"Heh. What about the other two? Shikamaru and Ino?"

"I haven't seen them yet", Neji admitted. He now faced the door, back turned to Kiba, eager to lave the room. With an inward sigh, he added, "I'm going to find them right now".

There was no reply, but a silent agreement hung between the two shinobi, and Neji walked out the door, feeling like some of the tension had left them. He wandered outside the hospital and towards the Hokage's tower, where he expected Shikamaru and Ino to be.

As he began his ascent up the long flight of stairs, he sensed a rushed presence just around the corner. Just a moment later, Neji found himself face to face with his uncle, followed by the Hokage and her assistant..

Neji's first instinct was to back away as Hiashi's towering form neared him. He'd thought they were on good terms again, but the repeated pain that Neji had felt in his head during their mission told him otherwise.

It seemed that no matter what, his duty to the head branch would continuously haunt him.

Neji's mouth was half opened, ready to demand why his uncle had used the curse seal on him during the mission, when Hiashi quickly motioned for Neji to follow them.

No one gave any explanations and Neji was, without a doubt, beyond confused as to what was happening. But really, it wasn't like he had a choice except to do what he was told.

He was led back to the very hospital he came from, and his face molded itself into a frown. _What the heck was going on?_

As they entered the doors of Konoha Hospital, the very same ones that he'd stumbled through not more than an hour ago, Neji felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Shikamaru and Ino.

They looked slightly scratched up, but it was nothing serious.

"What's going on?" Neji asked, motioning towards the three adults in front of him.

"We don't know either", Shikamaru replied.

"We only heard that they wanted to see you and Hinata", Ino shrugged.

"And it sounded pretty urgent", Shikamaru added.

Neji's frown grew even more and he quickly hurried away, trailing after the three adults as they paused at the check-in desk, then proceeded down the hallway towards the patients' rooms.

A million questions were running through his head, but Neji kept quiet. As much as he wanted to know what was happening, he found it unnecessary to ask so many questions. The way he saw it, things would soon explain themselves.

Tsunade led the group towards what Neji recognized as the room Hinata was in and he watched with a wrinkled brow as the medic pushed open the door, allowing Shizune and Hiashi to step in before her.

"Hurry, hurry", she ushered Neji inside as well before shutting the door behind her.

They were standing in a well-lit room, staring at the backs of three highly-trained medic-nin as they stood, hunched over the bed where Hinata was laying. She appeared to be in a stable condition as the medic's repeatedly drew a glowing green chakra in and out of her body, cleaning away the poison that laced her systems.

"She'll be fine", one of the medics turned and gave Tsunade a little nod.

A small silence fell upon the room. Neji watched Hiashi look at the girl lying on the bed, his eyes narrowed and strained. He was still waiting for an explanation from someone… anyone, but he knew better than to speak out.

Finally, when he was sure his daughter's condition would be stable, Hiashi turned to his young nephew and beckoned him outside.

* * *

The old daimyo stepped outside his house, half leaning on his cane and half supported by his daughter. He watched as the three young shinobi from Konoha walked ahead of him, scanning the area immediately outside his home for any signs of danger. 

"We are ready to go!" Lee announced, grinning widely.

"Yeah, c'mon", Sakura smiled at the daimyo as his daughter led him to the gate.

"You'll be fine, father", she smiled and handed the old man over, "thank you".

The daimyo set off with his three shinobi guards down the path that led away from his large mansion and towards the forest that led to Konoha.

They traveled at a relaxing pace, able to enjoy the fresh forest air without needing to worry too much about any danger. Since the group was traveling with someone who had a relatively low profile, they didn't seem to worry too much about what could happen.

"So, who exactly are you meeting with?" Sakura asked cheerfully, hoping to make some light conversation.

The daimyo proceeded to talk about the people he would be meeting with and explained in great detail the business they would be going over. It was simple conversation, just something to pass the time as they shuffled along the forest floor.

When they reached the halfway mark to Konoha, Tenten proposed that the group stop and have a rest. Sakura took the opportunity to suggest a food break as well and Lee enthusiastically agreed.

They sat under a large tree, retrieving food from their packs and eating it, while the shinobi took turns scouting the area. When it was Tenten's turn, she wandered through a part of the woods that led away from both Konoha and where the daimyo lived.

As she moved through the trees, enjoying the simplicity of just whizzing by each branch, a sudden feeling in the air stopped her. There was someone there- no… more than just one someone. And for some reason, one of the presences felt strangely familiar.

Tenten quickly retreated to their resting site and whispered her discoveries to Sakura, who looked at her questioningly, then decided it would be a good idea for them to check out who the presences belonged to.

"We'll be right back", Sakura grinned cheerfully. As she and Tenten passed by Lee on their way, she hissed quietly, "Lee! Get him to safety, _fast_".

The two kunoichi sped through the trees, Tenten leading the way while Sakura occasionally glanced back to see what Lee had done. Judging from the chakra that she sensed, Sakura guessed that Lee and the daimyo had begun moving already, and at a rapid pace.

Tenten stopped a bit away from where she'd felt the presences and Sakura concentrated until she could fell two shinobi standing on the opposite side of a cluster of trees.

"There's only two of them, and they're injured", Sakura whispered. Tenten nodded and the two girls slowly made their way closer, concealing themselves cleverly amongst the shrubbery.

When the two unknown presences came into view, Tenten immediately recognized one of them as the female kunoichi who had attacked Hinata and her during the Chunnin exams. This was the mission Neji was sent on! Where was he?

Her heart sped up and began to beat in excitement. She was so close… _so close_… but was Neji still here? No, he had to be. She assured herself that he would never leave a job undone.

So where was he?

"Tenten, c'mon!" Sakura rapidly motioned for her teammate to come closer and Tenten obeyed, creeping near the other girl as she peered through the leaves. From their hidden spot, she could see two spider-like shinobi struggling to walk. They seemed to be heavily injured and talking in low tones as they trudged through the forest, heading in a direction away from Konoha.

Well, at least that meant they weren't on their way to attack someone.

Sakura and Tenten followed the pair quietly, listening in closely on their conversation. They could only catch certain words, but it was enough for them to figure out parts of what had happened.

Upon hearing the words "Hyuuga Neji" and "massive explosives", Tenten froze in her spot. The paranoia that had plagued her before the Chunnin exams had returned and she feared for Neji. Her heart sped up and she could feel it pulsating throughout her chest.

Her senses told her that the enemy was still alive, her teammates were not in sight, and that something about an explosive had taken place. Her mind could only conclude that something bad had happened to Neji and almost immediately, Tenten felt a rush of horrifying images cross her mind.

Sakura grabbed her teammate tightly by the shoulder and shook her, bringing her back to the present. "We don't know anything for sure yet", she warned.

Tenten nodded and swallowed hard, but the thudding of her heart had neither slowed nor quieted down.

They continued to trail after the enemy, catching more of their conversation. When Sakura was sure that Neji's team had all returned to Konoha safely and accomplished their mission, she realized that whatever they'd used in an attempt to defeat the enemy had failed.

These two were still alive.

"Tenten, you understand what we have to do, don't you?" Sakura looked over at her teammate. Tenten nodded. She, too, understood that the only reason these two shinobi were still alive was that Neji and his team had failed to kill them.

"I know it's not part of our mission, but we have no choice", Tenten agreed.

The two girls poised themselves upon the trees, then prepared to attack.

* * *

Neji and Hiashi had stepped into the empty hallway, where their conversation was safe from prying ears. They stood, facing each other, both with his back against a wall. 

The glare in Neji's eyes had yet to fade and Hiashi knew that at the moment, the boy held much hatred for him. But, that was exactly why he had something to explain.

"Neji, I'm sure you've felt the effects of the curse seal during your mission", Hiashi began slowly.

His nephew nodded, the anger in his eyes refusing to leave.

"I only discovered today", Hiashi paused to take a breath, "that an elder of the main branch has been performing the seals without my knowledge. I had no intention of harming you in any way".

Neji's eyes narrowed at the newly acquired information and he immediately began to mentally list the names of people who had the ability to perform that certain seals. There were actaully quite a few elders in the Hyuuga household.

"When I learned of this, I immediately went to the Hokage. Coincidentally, she had just received news that you and Hinata had arrived at the hospital, so we came here right away". Hiashi's eyes looked sad and Neji could understand the guilt his uncle now held within him.

"I just wanted to let you know", Hiashi finished speaking and returned to the hospital room, leaving Neji by himself in the empty corridor. He sighed and leaned heavily against the wall, allowing his head to droop and his hair to fall in front of him.

So, that's what had happened?

_He meant you no harm. It was just a misunderstanding_. Neji had to admit that he felt somewhat better… almost a feeling of relief, in fact, that Hiashi had not been the one to execute the curse upon him. It certainly made things a lot easier to deal with.

As for the elder who _did_ perform the seals… well, let's just say that Neji didn't want to deal with that at the moment. Or, at all, actually. It was rather difficult to speak out against the elders in the Hyuuga Clan and Neji really didn't need more stress at the moment.

He waited for a few more minutes, then left his spot and headed for the door, lifting his hand to knock and wait for entrance. But, from down the hall, two voices stopped him and Neji turned to see Shikamaru and Ino walking towards him with rather quick footsteps.

"What did we miss?" Ino asked.

Neji attempted to fill them in on everything, explaining that Hinata's condition was stabilized and Kiba and Akamaru were safely resting in a hospital room nearby. He checked again to make sure they were unharmed as well, then declared that the mission had been accomplished.

Ino cheered and set off to find Kiba and Akamaru, while Shikamaru lingered behind, waiting for an opportunity to speak with Neji.

"Something's been bothering me", Shikamaru began, tugging at his collar, "it's troublesome, but it's necessary".

Neji looked at him seriously, waiting for more of the explanation.

"The explosives", Shikamaru stated.

Neji nodded.

"How can we be sure all the enemies are gone?"

"I had the same feeling", Neji agreed, heaving a small sigh. He had mentally run through the plan several times and the one thing that bothered him, the same thing that bothered Shikamaru, was that there was a possibility that the explosives wouldn't be enough.

"We succeeded in hindering the enemy, but that's really all we did", Shikamaru added.

"Go back. We have to go back", Neji decided firmly.

"But, isn't the mission over?"

"They might not know about it, but we know it hasn't been completed".

"So, when are we leaving?" Shikamaru finally asked.

"Now. Just us".

"Right. There's no need to worry the others".

The agreement was settled between them, and, without breathing another word, both shinobi tore out of the hospital and back into the forest.

* * *

As she stumbled through the forest, clutching a bleeding arm, Leiko faintly sensed two shinobi presences surrounding her and her companion. 

"Don't stop walking, but listen to me", she suddenly dropped her voice, turning slightly to look at the shinobi walking beside her. He, too, was grabbing tightly at an injury near his shoulder, trying to lessen the blood loss.

"What is it?" came the reply.

"There are two shinobi, hidden, watching us", Leiko replied quietly.

"Then-"

"Sh! Keep moving and follow my lead", Leiko decided. As always, her mind was working, planning out the steps ahead of them.

She suddenly plunged to the ground, releasing a fake cry and clutching her wound even tighter. With her head turned towards the two shinobi who were hidden, she began talking about poison, thus explaining why she'd suddenly collapsed.

Her companion did the same, moaning about his shoulder and poison. Leiko snuck a peak at the trees behind them and caught sight of a flash of pink. It had only been there for a fraction of a second, and she could very well have imagined it, but the small bit of optimism in her mind told her their plan was working.

They continued to act weak, slowly struggling to inch forward, while carefully keeping track of where the two shinobi were as well.

The flash of pink appeared again, this time, followed by a shinobi who Leiko could clearly see had brown hair, tied up in two buns.

"They're coming", she whispered. Her companion nodded and slipped out a kunai. It was time.

Tenten and Sakura leapt out from among the trees, a line of shuriken advancing towards the enemy before them. The metallic weapons were easily deflected and Tenten's sharp senses and experience with weapons told her that the two enemies were in a better condition than they seemed.

"They tricked us!" she said to Sakura, "the way they deflected those shuriken… they had a lot more energy than it seemed!"

"It doesn't matter", Sakura replied, "we can still do this".

The two enemies drew out more kunai and aimed at the two girls, who deflected them and jumped back at the same time. As one of the foreign kunai landed beside her, embedded in a tree, Tenten noticed the strange coloring of the weapon.

Rather than the dull colors of the weapons often found in Konoha, this kunai was a golden color, brilliantly reflecting the light.

"There's chakra in these!" Sakura called out. One of the golden kunais had found its way into her arm and Sakura, with what knowledge of chakra she had, could tell there was foreign chakra that was now embedded in her skin.

They continued to fight with long-range tactics, neither side willing to get too close. On Leiko's side, she and her companion were mostly worried about their own injuries and knew that engaging in a short-distance fight was too much of a risk. For Tenten and Sakura, they simply couldn't get closer.

The enemy had surprised them and they'd walked right into the trap.

As the time dragged on, both kunoichi found that their chakra reserves were slowly being drained. While Sakura could fall back on her extreme ability to control and conserve chakra, Tenten had a hard time keeping up. She had a tendency give it her all, and in this case, that was her weakness.

Sakura caught the signs in her teammate's movements that told her she was slowly weakening and a string of cuss words ran through her head. They'd made a mistake. They'd both misjudged the circumstances and now, to put it bluntly, they were screwed.

As Tenten found her back being shoved into a tree, her vision slightly clouded, she heard the clanging of metal surround her. Sakura was definitely putting up a better fight than she.

The floor erupted from underneath her and Tenten, without having to look, could tell that Sakura had sent one of her chakra filled punches straight into the ground, causing a long crack to separate the floor they were standing on into two halves.

_C'mon, keep going_, a tiny voice urged in her head. Tenten groaned and pushed herself off the tree, shooting forward while grabbing two scrolls tucked away in her pocket. She was focused only on the male enemy and had lost track of Leiko. Thus, Tenten was unaware of a lurking shadow behind her, followed by several pairs of arms and a bloody body pinning her to the ground.

She had enough of her vision to see Leiko bent over her, a large, golden weapon of some sort slowly forming from her mouth. When it was completed and raised high above her head, Leiko smirked, "I remember _you_. You're from Konoha".

The pointed end came flying down towards her. Tenten heard Sakura's frantic voice in the background, then closed her eyes.

* * *

HAHA! As I was proofreading this chapter, I noticed that "Sakura" and "chakra" rhyme! ok, that was lame, I know... go review!! 


	14. Chapter 13

Thanks to my awesome reviewers who make me feel less crappy with every review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!!

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

A splatter of blood erupted where the sharp end had dug into her skin and Tenten could only bite down on her own tongue to keep from screaming in pain.

Her eyes cracked open and she saw a puddle of red surrounding her. She'd managed to shift herself slightly so that her vital spots were missed, but, nevertheless, it hurt. A lot.

The weight of the enemy which had been crushing her suddenly disappeared and a moment later, Tenten found herself being pulled up against a hard surface. A pair of arms wrapped around her and a wave of relief flooded over her when she recognized her rescuer.

"Don't move. You'll lose more blood", the voice was soft…

Tenten obeyed.

She was brought near the base of a large tree and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Shikamaru standing across the field as he extended his shadow, capturing the two enemies.

A large explosion shook Tenten out of her half-dazed state and she blinked quickly enough to catch a glimpse of Sakura sending yet another shockwave throughout the forest.

This time, the pink-haired kunoichi had aimed at one of the enemy and landed a clean shot that immediately killed the once defenseless man, who, despite his current state of… well, of "deadness", was still trapped in the confinements of Shikamaru's shadow.

Leiko was now officially on her own and she knew it better than anyone. Although she was up against four Konoha Shinobi, her mind had already picked out the only target.

The white-eyed Hyuuga genius stood directly in front of her, already moving into a stance that could only lead to a jutsu belonging to his prestigious clan. Sakura had retreated to where Tenten now stood, leaning heavily on a tree trunk, and Shikamaru had disappeared among the trees, his shadow inactive, but ready to attack at any second.

"You killed him", Leiko whispered.

"It was necessary", the reply was void of all emotion.

"You should have died!" she shrieked.

Leiko rushed forward and slipped out the last of her weapons, throwing them mercilessly at her opponent. Most of the metallic objects were deflected and landed lifelessly on the dirt floor, clattering with a dull sound as they fell upon each other. However, two of them made it to the target, causing him to wince as stream of bright red blood flowed freely from the open wound.

He ignored the feeling and numbed the pain, then prepared to attack.

"Byakugan!"

The end arrived surprisingly fast and, due to her already weakened state, Leiko didn't put up as good of a fight as she'd hoped for. As her body fell to the floor, devoid of all grace, her eyes still open from the shock, her killer stepped forward and looked down at her.

There was pity in his eyes. And regret.

As he turned to look at his three companions, he was surprised to see their varying expressions. Shikamaru's features were the calmest of the three, but even he held a sorrowful gleam in his eyes. Sakura had turned away, her face hidden in the shadows.

The third shinobi that he saw, still slightly hunched and covering her wound with one hand, was practically flying towards him, her free arm wrapping tightly around his neck once her body came in contact with his. Her hair, now messy and untied, was filled with the fresh scent of the forest and he breathed in the airy smell as his own arms wrapped around her, his heart feeling much lighter than it had in a long time.

Then, she spoke, her voice slightly strained from all the recent fighting, but still tinted with a honey sweetness, "Thank you, Neji, Thank you".

* * *

The blank hospital ceiling had been her only source of scenery for the past week and the young kunoichi, despite her patience, was growing sick of it. Her body had healed considerably in the time that had passed, but according to the medics, she wouldn't be able to return home until another three days had passed. 

A soft knock sounded at the door and a moment later, a nurse stepped in, followed by a solemn looking, white-eyed shinobi. He approached the bed, but kept a safe distance and watched the nurse as she charted the patient's statistics, then left.

After the door closed with a sharp click, he stepped forward.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you".

"You'll be out by the ceremony, won't you?"

"Yes".

"Your father requests your presence, Hinata-sama".

"I-I know".

"Alright, then, I'll let you rest".

He left the room without another word and walked down the hall, entering another room that was notably noisier than the previous one.

"Neji! It is wonderful to see you!" Lee's bright exclamation and glimmering smile lit up the room.

The reply was a simple nod.

"It's about time you showed up", a voice spoke up form the bed. Neji turned to see his teammate propped up on several pillows, arms bandaged and crossed, brown hair littering across her shoulders.

He gave her an almost-smile and stepped closer to the bed, placing one hand upon the railing.

The three teammates sat in silence and looked at each other, but whether they actually saw anything was debatable, as each of them had drifted into their own private little world.

The silence was only broken when the door opened with a slight creak and Sakura walked in, dressed in a nurse uniform complete with the cute little hat and matching shoes. Her healing abilities had allowed her to be up and running in no time, while Tenten could only watch enviously from her hospital bed.

She grinned at the occupants of the room, then set the tray she'd brought with her on a nearby table.

"This'll help you feel better", she explained, handing a bowl of… something that resembled food to Tenten. The older girl smiled sheepishly and thanked her.

Sakura refused to leave until Tenten had fully finished the medicine, which she did with a grimace and a couple of winces. The medicine wasn't horribly bad, really, it just tasted kind of gross and Tenten had lost her appetite.

"Don't worry. It's worth it", Sakura smiled. She left the room and a moment later, Lee got up and went after her, attempting to ask her out on a date. The outcome? Well, sadly, it was failure.

This left Neji and Tenten alone in the room, a wall of privacy wrapped around them. Unable to hold in anything, Tenten began speaking at once, letting all the questions and exclamations she'd held inside to flow out like a fluid stream.

Neji waited quietly for her to finish her ranting, and when the girl finally ran out of breath, he began.

The first thing on his mind, and thus, the first thing he addressed, was Tenten's injuries. Throughout her rant, she hadn't given much thought to her own safety and he wanted to scold her for it.

"You and Sakura weren't supposed to stray from your mission", he said.

"I know. But we successfully completed it anyway. Didn't you hear Lee say- "

"You knew nothing about the enemies you were up against and that was an unnecessary and dangerous risk".

"You're worried about _me_?" Tenten asked in disbelief. All the bitterness she'd had for Neji when he reprimanded her had faded away. Did her teammate actually care for someone other than himself? Well, actually, she'd always known that he cared, but to admit it? _Outloud?_ Granted, it was just the two of them in that room, but still, he'd actually _said_ something to show that he cared.

"I'd lose my training partner, wouldn't I?" he replied.

Tenten grinned at this comment, for even though Neji responded with sarcasm, she could tell that a part of him was genuinely concerned.

"Well, I'm sorry, ok?" Tenten sighed, "I still have to speak to the Hokage about this. She's pretty mad, isn't she?"

"Tsunade-sama won't be available for the next week", Neji replied flatly.

"What?"

"My uncle proposed a town ceremony to encompass a few events. The Hokage will be terribly busy during this time, as she is one of the main components of it".

"Ceremony?"

"In three days, once Hinata-sama is allowed out of the hospital, the ceremony will begin. She's the only reason we're not having it sooner", Neji explained.

"But if it's in three days, what's the Hokage doing for the rest of the week?" Tenten questioned.

"My uncle wouldn't tell me".

"I supposed you'll be attending the ceremony, then".

Neji nodded reluctantly. As far as he knew, the only reason there was a ceremony was to celebrate the Hyuuga heiress' return, his own advancement to a jounin, and Ino and Kiba's passage of the Chunnin exams. Sure, he was excited to become a jounin, and at a terribly young age, but the entire ordeal just didn't seem appealing to him at the moment.

Maybe it was due to the recent, nerve-wracking string of events, or maybe, he just didn't seem to care that much about anything anymore. Maybe something was wrong with him.

* * *

Hinata stepped out of the shower, tightly clutching a towel against herself. She looked at the closed door in front of her, took a deep breath to ready herself, then twisted the handle and stepped into a room of chaos. 

Several attendants tried to approach her all at the same time, attempting to dress her, do her hair, add dashes of makeup to her pale face, or direct her and tell her where to go. It was complete, utter chaos.

Her first day back from the hospital had brought about a huge celebration in the Hyuuga household and everywhere she went, she was bombarded with people.

She didn't really mind, though, because this was definitely a contrast from her daily routine, where people ignored her and she melted into the background. Yeah, this was much better.

At the moment, she was being tugged in every direction, as people helped her prepare for the ceremony that would soon take place. All of Konoha had taken advantage of the Hyuuga's ceremony and turned the day into a widespread festival.

Different booths now lined the streets and children were scattered in various areas, participating in game booths that ranged from throwing kunais at targets to catching tiny fish from a deep tank. To put it simply, it was a lot of fun.

But the festivities still had not managed to take away from the main event of the day. Just underneath the Hokage monument, in front of the base of the Hokage's tower, an extravagantly decorated platform was raise high, with a thin set of portable stairs leading up to it.

Hyuuga Hiashi waited at the top with two elders of the Hyuuga clan, as Hinata, now fully dressed and pampered, walked towards her father, followed by other members of their family.

The village had gathered to watch as the father waited for his daughter to ascend the steps. They stood silently and listened as the well-known Hyuuga Hiashi spoke of the disappearance of his daughter and her retrieval.

Hinata listened too, standing in the shadows of her father as he spoke with a quiet, yet strong voice. She rubbed lightly at her face, causing the over exaggerated layer of makeup that the attendant had dumped on her to fall off, catching onto the sleeves of her ceremonial outfit and falling to the floor.

As a shinobi, Hinata was most definitely not used to being all dressed up, and although she'd heard other girls talk excitedly about makeup and pretty clothes, she felt that all that materialism was overrated.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sounding of a large gong, signaling the end of Hiashi's speech. It was time to move again, so Hinata stepped off the platform and followed her father obediently.

The echoing reverberations of the gong had traveled across Konoha and reached the hospital, where its sound bounced off the empty corridors and reached the patients' rooms.

In her hospital bed, Tenten could hear the noise and she winced as the peak of the sound disrupted the silence.

"You're late", she said, turning to Neji, who was sitting idly at the foot of her bed. He didn't look like he cared too much.

"Won't your uncle be expecting you?" she continued. Neji nodded. His face was as stoic as ever, but his body language read otherwise. His hands grasped the bed sheets, fingers curled into a tightening fist. His head was slightly drooped, back hunched, and legs pushing tensely against the edge of the bed.

"You're going to be a jounin, Neji", Tenten kept talking. She wasn't sure whether her teammate appreciated all the noise at the moment, but this day was too important for him to miss.

"I'll become a jounin whether I go to the ceremony or not", Neji scoffed.

"What about Ino and Kiba? I'm sure they'd want their team leader who led their successful mission to be present for their raise to Chunnin, don't you think?"

"No".

"Neji! What's wrong with you?" Tenten tugged at the blankets and on the other end of the bed, Neji could feel them slipping from under him.

"There's an elder in the clan who doesn't think too highly of me", the sarcasm was more than obvious in his voice.

"What?"

"I never told you this, because you'd just worry, but during the mission, on several occasions, someone was performing the hands seals to activate this", Neji pointed to his forehead.

"That's why you don't want to go out there, huh?" she whispered softly.

Neji shrugged, but Tenten knew that meant "yes".

"I'd go with you if I could", Tenten sighed, "but I'm still stuck in here for a couple more days. The injury isn't even that bad!"

"Can you walk?" Neji's head lifted and his gaze now held a twinkle of mischief, as if something very un-Neji-like was running through his mind.

"Of course I can", Tenten replied indignantly. As if to prove her point, she yanked the covers off and got off the bed, standing proudly to show she wasn't all that injured.

And then, she took a step and collapsed.

Neji watched as his teammate's butt came in contact with the floor, releasing an "oomph!" from her mouth followed by a frown. He could tell by the way she'd gone down that although the fall caused her some pain, it wasn't actually hard enough to really damage her.

So, he walked leisurely over to the girl and helped her up, allowing her to lean against him for support.

"You can't walk", he told her bluntly. Tenten huffed and looked at him.

"It doesn't matter", Neji continued, "It'll work".

"Wait- you- What? What doesn't matter?" Tenten asked.

"You said you'd go with me", Neji replied.

"What?! I said _if_ I could go, I'd - "

"Well, look, now you can. I'll help you", Neji interrupted.

"But I can't leave the hospital looking like this!" Tenten complained. Neji considered her words for a moment, then pulled back to take a look at her. She was wearing a thin hospital gown, the bandages that wrapped around the wound of her lower back clearly visible under the light fabric. Her hair was tangled and untidy and her feet were bare.

"I don't see anything wrong", he decided finally. Tenten gaped at him, unable to understand the way his mind worked.

"What do you mean by that?" she demanded. But, her protests were ignored as Neji picked her up in one swift movement and carried her out of the room, bridal style.

_Stubborn bastard_.

Halfway down the hall, due to the harsh smacks on his head that he received from the thrashing girl, Neji had no choice but to put her down.

"What are you doing?" he rubbed his head painfully, a rather comical action that caused Tenten to begin laughing.

"We can't go this way", she said between bouts of laughter, "we have to sneak out".

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as Neji realized how little he had thought about their "escape plan".

Of course there'd be nurses wandering the lobby! How could he have forgotten?

"C'mon! Let's go", Tenten stood up and looked like she was ready to jump back in her teammate's arms at any moment. Neji gave her a look, then picked her up effortlessly. There was no resistance this time.

_What, does she want me to carry her now?_

They returned to Tenten's room and left through her open window, leaving the hospital for the center of the village.

* * *

A major portion of the day had passed and everyone had thoroughly enjoyed the festivities. As the afternoon melted into evening, Hiashi returned to the platform once again, commanding the attention of all the villagers. His two daughters stood on either side of him, Hinata teetering a little on her feet while Hanabi stood motionless. 

The short speech Hiashi had given earlier that day simply explained his reason for having such an event. But now, it was time for all the important details to be taken care of. As the area around the raised platform grew more and more crowded, Hiashi decided it was time to speak.

He began humbly, unwilling to come off as haughty or proud. He spoke of his appreciation to the villagers for attending and he spoke of his gratitude that both daughters were safe beside him. In all her life, Hinata had never seen her father act so kindly.

Hiashi then proceeded to explain the mission that Neji had led, revealing to the people the circumstances and conditions he'd discussed with the Hokage. "Hyuuga Neji, my nephew, led a successful mission in the retrieval of my daughter", he announced. Neji's rise to jounin level received widespread applause, as there were few people who didn't know of the genius' capabilities.

Hiashi smiled proudly at the response, then continued to speak, relating the accomplishments of Ino, Kiba, and Shikamaru. The people applauded the rise to Chunnin of Ino and Kiba and commended Shikamaru for his successes as well. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Hiashi was bothered.

As he looked out into the crowd, there was just one thing missing. Neji.

* * *

As Neji approached the crowd wrapped around his uncle, he was met with a rather unexpected and somewhat unpleasant surprise. Apparently, his uncle had just been speaking about him, for once a few people recognized him, the entire crowd turned to greet him.

Neji did not like the excess attention, especially when he was carrying a girl in a hospital gown in his arms.

Tenten was embarrassed as well and began frantically whispering to Neji, demanding that he put her down immediately.

"But you can't walk", Neji sounded a bit confused, as if he didn't know what to do.

"I don't care! Put me down, now!" Tenten hissed, wriggling in his grasp. He dropped her and she landed surprisingly smoothly on her feet. "C'mon, your uncle is waiting for you", Tenten gave Neji a gentle push towards the raised platform and he stumbled, not used to the many pairs of eyes focused on him

"You said you'd come with me", he replied, dragging her along. Despite the fact that she was now tripping along the village streets in her bare feet, Tenten put up no resistance.

They made their way to the platform and Neji stepped up first, nearing his uncle, who watched him with proud eyes.

The villagers cheered again and Neji turned to face them. A bundle was brought forward by one of the Hyuuga elders and Hiashi took it, then presented it to Neji. He looked up questioningly at his uncle, then accepted the bundle, and, on demand by the people, opened it carefully.

From the side of the platform, Tenten leaned against a pole that Neji had left her by. She smiled proudly as she watched him pull out a folded set of clothes from the… wait, clothes?

Although Tenten was thoroughly confused as to what the heck new clothes were going to do for anyone, the expression on Neji's face told her it had to mean something important. The other Hyuuga members had proud looks on their faces as well and even Hinata smiled happily.

"Thank you, uncle", Neji bowed. There was deep sincerity in his voice, something incredibly rare for him.

As Neji stepped back down from the platform, Tenten caught his eye and grinned, earning a slight nod from her teammate. They watched Ino and Kiba step up to the platform, then moved towards the side where they could be part of the crowd and watch the rest of the ceremony.

As Hiashi began speaking again, Neji looked around, slightly confused. Where was the Hokage? He knew that Hiashi played a big role in the ceremony, but the Hokage should have at least been present.

He couldn't help but feel that something wasn't fitting together and that whatever Hiashi had told him wasn't the full truth. Before he could think any further, Neji felt a tug at his sleeve and turned.

"What do the clothes mean?" Tenten asked him.

"These are traditional Hyuuga robes", Neji replied quietly, "they're- well…"

He was at a loss for words, but Tenten understood. She may not have known the value of receiving something like that, but she didn't need to. She could tell how much it all meant to Neji just by the change in his attitude. He was, under all the attention from his clan as well as the villagers, no longer able to keep up a façade of nonchalance.

"Well, I'm happy for you", Tenten smiled. She turned back to the platform and Neji did the same.

* * *

I hope you guys all caught the fact that the "traditional robes" that Neji got are the ones he's wearing in Shippuuden. Well, maybe not the exact same ones, but you get the idea. Little Neji is all grown up!!

More of the ceremony to come in the next chapter!! Please please please review! It's not that hard and it doens't take that long!


	15. Chapter 14

Three weeks since the last update. Wow, that's horrible. Should I be thinking of an excuse? Because, really, I had college apps. Doesn't that count for anything? It really should. But I made this chapter longer, so hopefully, that sorta makes up for it.

Alright, here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, b/c if I did, Sasuke would be MINE!!!

* * *

Chapter 14

Her name sounded unfamiliar, foreign, as it left the lips of the speaker and traveled out towards the crowd. She moved naturally, up the platform, while her mind froze for a second. It was just a bit nerve-wracking to get up in front of practically the entire village and she had never been good in front of an audience anyways.

But this was no time to be thinking such hindering thoughts. This was her one moment to shine, to prove that she could be just as good as the other shinobi around her. She smiled and approached Hiashi, bowing respectfully as he announced her rise to the Chunnin level.

"Well done, Ino", he nodded approvingly. She grinned and returned to the crowd.

"And now, Kiba", Hiashi continued.

"And Akamaru", Kiba added, leading his dog onto the platform.

"Of course, and Akamaru", Hiashi smiled lightly.

As Neji watched the ceremony proceed, his eyebrow scrunched up slightly, as if he was thinking hard. _Was it just him, or did Akamaru grow slightly larger?_

"Hey, didn't Akamaru used to ride on his head?" Tenten asked only a second later.

"He does look bigger", Neji agreed.

Kiba stepped out in front of the crowd and sighed deeply. _Chunnin, I'm a Chunnin_, he thought proudly. Akamaru yapped excitedly beside him, circling behind his owner and crouching on the other side of him, then returning to his original position.

"Well done", Hiashi nodded. He allowed the younger shinobi to return to the crowd before continuing.

"Is there anything else?" Tenten whispered, looking around.

"Not that I know of", Neji replied. They turned to leave, but Hiashi continued.

"These were the members of the squad sent to retrieve my daughter, but were other courageous shinobi involved", he looked at Tenten and called her up. She looked back at him, slightly shocked and unwilling to step up when she was dressed the way she was.

"Go", Neji gave her a gentle push and she stumbled onto the stage, carefully testing out her steps. She had partially regained her ability to walk and she was sure it had to do with getting some fresh air.

"You and Sakura, who was unable to attend, as she is currently working in the hospital, were an important part of the mission", Hiashi spoke for the crowd to hear, but his gaze was firm on the young kunoichi in front of him. She bowed respectfully and grinned a little, unable to contain her excitement. Judging from the previous events that had just happened, she was sure she would become a Chunnin as well. She had to admit it was a bit disappointing to not pass the exams and become a Chunnin the "right" way, but still, it got her to where she was headed.

"Unfortunately, it is not in my power to promote you to a Chunnin, as much as I would like to. I believe you deserve the rank, but I'm afraid I have little influence on the rules of the exam". Those words hurt, but Tenten quickly recovered from her shock and managed to maintain a somewhat happy face.

"Thank you", she murmured. She was about to turn and leave the stage so she could go wallow somewhere, but Hiashi stopped her.

"However, we have prepared a gift for you as a token of appreciation", he brought forth a large, white scroll, lined with a deep red. It was possibly _the _most beautiful scroll Tenten had ever seen and her eyes sparkled as her "thank you's" gushed out like water from a fountain.

_Probably the best thing to happen to me today_, she hugged the scroll tightly as she left the stage, giving Neji the biggest smile she could muster as she approached him. His expression was one of amusement. Leave it to a girl to be bought so easily by materialism. But inside, he knew it wasn't the "prettiness" of the scroll that had made Tenten go crazy over it. He knew there was more in her. He knew of her love for weapons and her desire to improve everyday. The scroll would definitely help in this area.

"And finally, I know many of you have been wondering, where is the Godaime Hokage?"

Neji perked up upon hearing this and listened carefully. He, like most of the villagers, wondered where the Hokage could have gone during such a large event.

"When Hinata was first taken away, I immediately went to the Hokage and requested she send a squad out. I also requested that my nephew be sent for this mission. The Hokage agreed and I offered for the Hyuuga clan to sponsor the carving of her face into this great monument", he pointed at the large mountain that contained the faces of the first four Hokages, then continued, "as of this moment, the Hokage is working with a team of elite shinobi to scout out the mountain for safety measures, so that construction can be started tomorrow. Soon, we shall have our fifth Hokage watching over us as well".

The announcement was met with wild cheers, whistles, and tremendous applause. "It's about time!" Ino cheered.

"That's why she's been missing", Neji understood. Tenten grinned excitedly beside him. There was so much positive change going on, she could hardly stand it. Her mind was in a flurry of excitement and she felt like jumping up and down like a child. But of course, in her current condition, she couldn't very well do that.

* * *

Tired and weary from the festivities, Tenten agreed to let Neji walk her back to the Konoha Hospital. She hadn't gotten in trouble for sneaking out, but karma had found its own way of getting back at her. Her legs were sore as hell and her feet hurt. She had gradually regained her ability to walk during the ceremony and was not offered to be carried back to her hospital room. But she wouldn't have agreed anyways. 

The two of them had reached the front of the hospital, away from the noises of the celebration, but near a new sort of chaotic sound. The hospital was lively, filled with the sounds of nurses rushing here and there, in and out of patients' rooms. Tenten grimaced as the sound reached her ears and she stopped walking, sighing deeply.

"What?" Neji looked at her. He shifted the robes he'd received, as well as the scroll he was carrying for his teammate, to keep them from slipping. Honestly, that was one, huge scroll.

"It's just… there's so much frustration", she replied.

"You're frustrated?" he couldn't think of why she would feel that way. Even for him, it hadn't been a bad day.

"Well, no, not me. I'm not frustrated, but the mood feels frustrating, doesn't it?" she couldn't explain in words what she meant.

"I don't feel it", Neji replied blandly.

"No, of course not", Tenten began walking again, "you've probably learned to keep it all under control. But try to understand what I mean. It's so… it's so hot, so stifling. There's no air! And the bright lights in the hospital, and all that noise. I couldn't stand going back. And it's sticky. My feet are sticky and I just feel so- ugh".

"I see", Neji mused quietly. He was silent for a moment, as if contemplating deeply, then his head raised and he looked straight at her, "we'll fix that".

Tenten could only wonder what her teammate was thinking as they quickly covered the last steps into the hospital, through the lobby, ignoring the nurses' protests down the corridor, and into her hospital room.

"Where's the shower?" Neji asked, setting down the items in his arms. He began moving quickly around the room, searching cabinets until he found a roll of bandages and a fresh hospital gown.

"What?"

"The shower", he replied impatiently. The door opened and one of the nurses who had been in the lobby walked in, only to be sent back out with a fresh hospital gown, bandages, and instructions from a newly turned jounin to show the brown-haired girl, who looked just as confused, to the showers so she could refresh herself.

The poor nurse, being relatively new at her position, didn't think twice and obeyed every word, politely leading Tenten to a door at the end of the next corridor and offering her assistance.

"Uh, thanks. I've got it", Tenten smiled. The nurse nodded and scampered away.

Tenten sighed and looked around her, then dragged the sticky clothes off her body and stepped into the shower. She was unsure of what to do with the bandages around her midsection and for a fraction of a second, a horrifying image of blood leaking from her stomach filled her mind.

But she quickly pushed it away and started tugging at the bandages, gently peeling it off. The wound on her stomach was now no more than a tender layer of skin covered by the beginnings of a scar.

"Wow. That healed fast", Tenten muttered out loud. _Must have been that thing Sakura made me drink._

She stepped into the shower and sighed, allowing the warm water to drizzle down her back. She feared her wounds would reopen, so she kept the water at a safe temperature and refrained from touching her stomach. After a good five minutes of just standing there, enjoying the feel of the water, Tenten reached for the tiny, single-use bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash stacked neatly in the corner of the shower. She struggled with the cap for a few seconds before the thick liquid oozed onto her palm.

It smelled really good.

She grinned, feeling like a child as she smothered it all over her hair, then ran her fingers through the thick strands. It was rare to have time to enjoy such trivial things.

Twenty minutes later, the water was reluctantly shut off and Tenten made her way out of the shower, pulling a towel tightly around her. The fuzzy fabric rubbed against the sensitive wound across her stomach and she winced, quickly pulling it away. It didn't take her too long to figure out how to re-wrap a fresh layer of bandages over herself and she grinned proudly as she slipped the white hospital gown over her head.

All set. She stepped back into the hallway, looked around cautiously, then made her way back to her room, her old bundle of clothes gripped tightly in her arms.

Neji was nowhere in sight and she wondered briefly if he'd just decided to leave. She didn't want to think that he'd be capable of such actions, but the truth was, she never knew what to expect from him.

She left the clothes on a vacant chair beside the door and walked over to her bed, gently flipping over the sheets. The bed had been made while she was gone and the sheets were new, fresh with the light scent of laundry powder. The window was wide open and the curtains pushed aside, so that the dark sky seemed to enter the room. It wasn't a particularly beautiful or romantic sky, as those were rare and unrealistic, but it was quite enjoyable. And there were enough stars out.

A gentle wind entered the room, flowing through her slightly damp hair. Tenten smiled at the feeling. The noisy hospital sounds were muffled by the closed door and the darkness of her room and the wind from outside seemed to increase the comfortable silence. She leaned back onto her pillow and signed, crossing her arms and looking out the window.

It was a nice sort of silence, but after a while, it became too silent. _Did Neji really just leave her? Jerk._

The door creaked open, letting in the noises from the busy hospital. Then, it shut again and the noises disappeared. Tenten didn't bother to turn to see who had walked in, because she knew only one person would enter unannounced and without warning.

"Where did you go?" she asked lightly.

"A walk", Neji replied vaguely. His tone implied that he expected all girls to take too long in the shower, and he'd gone out just to kill time.

"Oh", Tenten wasn't in a mood to argue. In fact, she was feeling strangely docile at the moment. It must have been the fresh air in the room.

"Are you feeling better?" Neji's soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to smile at him.

"Yeah".

He sat on the windowsill, one leg dangling outside the window, the other bent so that his knee was pressed against his chest. Tenten crawled out of bed and joined him, leaning her elbows on the windowsill and allowing her arms to hang off the edge. The wind swept into the room, causing the ends of her dress to fly up.

They both looked out into the village, the sky, the night. The sky had lightened considerably due to the increased number of stars and Tenten grinned as she took in the sight.

There wasn't one real or best way to describe the feeling. She just knew that, especially compared to the frustrated mood she'd been in earlier, this was a really relaxed, calm, serene feeling. Almost lazy.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked. Neji didn't reply at first, but turned to look at the corner of the room, where his newly acquired set of robes sat. "Is it those clothes?" Tenten was genuinely curious, wanting to know exactly what they meant.

"Receiving a set of Hyuuga robes is almost like a rite-of-passage. It's just not exactly official. They're a sign of maturity, or acceptance".

"So, you'll wear them proudly, then?" Tenten asked.

Neji shrugged.

"You won't?"

"I just have… mixed feelings. Should I be proud? Should I be angry? I don't even know what I really did to deserve all this".

"You led a successful mission", Tenten coaxed gently, "and look, I don't know how you see all this, but if you think about it simply, you did really well. You led a mission, you succeeded in it, you brought Hinata home safely, and you became a jounin. That's a _huge _achievement".

"You make it too simple", Neji smiled sadly, secretly enjoying the refreshing innocence of his teammate. She was naïve, but he had to admit that amidst all the complications of his clan, having a more simple-minded friend really helped. "The head branch does not usually do such things for us. It's almost suspicious".

"Somehow, I really doubt that, Neji. It's because you're different. You're special. Everyone can see that", Tenten replied.

"Really?"

It was more of a soft exclamation than a question. And she knew it to be so and did not reply. They fell into silence once again and looked out across the field of stars.

"I can smell the night", Tenten remarked softly. Neji had nothing to say to such a random comment, but he enjoyed it nevertheless. "Wouldn't it be nice if it were night all the time?"

"No". The reply was so immediate, so harsh, that for a moment, Tenten was taken aback. "I mean, think about it", Neji's voice softened, "not all nights are as nice as this one. And nighttime is more dangerous, especially for shinobi".

"I guess I wasn't thinking", Tenten agreed with a humorless laugh.

Neji responded with a grunt.

"So… what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what's your next step? Being a jounin means having different missions and different jobs, doesn't it? I mean, look at Shikamaru. He became a Chunnin last year, and ever since, he's been hanging around the academy a lot more".

"That's because the Hokage ordered it. She thinks he has potential to be one of the Chunnin exam's examiners", Neji replied.

"That's exactly it. If he can do that, what do you think you'll be assigned to do?" Tenten asked.

"More missions", the reply was blunt.

"More- why?"

"Because I have the byakugan, and that won't be useful in anything but missions". Another blunt reply.

"Yeah, I guess", Tenten was at a loss of words. It almost felt like they were arguing, but really, she knew if they'd ever gotten into an argument, she'd lose right away. Neji just had a way of twisting words around and manipulating them so that he always sounded right.

"What about you?"

"Huh?' Tenten was surprised.

"Don't you think our team will split up afterwards? I mean, I'll be going out on a lot more dangerous missions".

"I didn't even think of that yet", Tenten admitted softly. His words felt like a stab; she really hadn't thought that far into the future, and to think that Neji would just move on and leave her was more than she could bear to think about.

"You'll still have Lee and Gai-Sensei", Neji added.

"Are you kidding?" Tenten turned to look at Neji and they both burst out laughing. The only reason they'd been able to hold on to their sanity all these years while being on team-Gai was because they had each other.

They had each other to train with, to talk to, to rely on whenever Gai and Lee came up with one of their ridiculous ideas. And they both knew it. As much as Neji believed he didn't really "need" anyone, he had to admit this was an exception. He didn't want to think he needed someone during a mission or in combat, but even he needed someone to save him from the dynamic duo.

"You're not really going to leave me with them, are you?" Tenten was still laughing.

"That might be the ultimate form of training", Neji replied sarcastically. Tenten grinned.

"Nah, you know what? I'm going to work harder than ever, Neji, so that I can catch up to you. So that I won't be left behind".

Her words were innocent, just a very normal "this is my goal!" sort of thing, but it really stuck something in Neji. Her words repeated in his head and he thought hard about them. _She would work hard so she could catch up to him? So that she wouldn't be left behind?_ There was a strange sort of fear in her voice when she said that, almost as if she couldn't stand the thought of him leaving her behind.

He was silent, contemplating what she'd just said, but she saw the situation as awkward and forced a laugh, "heh. You know, I'm just kidding, Neji. I don't think I'll ever catch up to you".

He turned sharply to look at her, his white eyes piercing into hers, slightly illuminated against the nighttime backdrop. "Don't say that", his voice had lowered noticeably, sounding almost husky. But maybe she was just imaging that.

"Wha- what are you talking about?" Tenten couldn't hold back a gasp of surprise, "I was just saying-"

"No, work hard, Tenten. Don't doubt yourself", he knew she had potential. Granted, it didn't show yet, and he knew it probably wouldn't show for a while, but there was potential. He could tell, and he didn't need his byakugan to see it.

"Ok, ok. It's not that serious, Neji, sheesh", Tenten brushed off his gaze and turned back to look outside. The air had gotten colder and she shivered as a new gust of wind entered the room, blowing her hospital gown until it clung to her, sending chills down her spine. If she wasn't careful, she'd get sick.

"Go to bed", it was a command, spoken in a low voice. The urgency in his tone sounded like he genuinely cared. He hurried her to the bed and quickly motioned for her to get in, then stuffed the blankets over her in an attempt to keep her warm.

"I'm fine, Neji", Tenten was slightly amused and allowed Neji to treat her like a child. She knew this was rare; almost a once in a lifetime chance. Almost.

"I think you should sleep. Rest. I'll come back later", he was deliberately vague, not really sure himself when he'd next return.

"You're going home", Tenten suddenly felt reluctant.

"I need to speak with my uncle".

"Oh", Tenten understood, "bye, Neji".

"Bye", his voice had suddenly returned to his normal tone, no longer that slightly caring, slightly worried tone he'd used earlier. He abruptly left the room, newly acquired robes in one hand, clenched fist in the other.

The door shut behind him, almost sounding like it was forcefully slammed.

* * *

Neji entered his house nervously. It was dark inside, but that was expected. It was well past midnight when he'd left the hospital, but it wasn't late enough yet for dawn. 

He stepped quietly down the hall, the outline of the house memorized. There was no need for lights. He walked into his own room and set the bundle on his bed, taking a moment to run his hands through the material before heaving a sigh.

Would his uncle be up at this hour? It was a strange time to be awake, about 3 or 4 in the morning, but it wasn't abnormal for Hiashi to be up. He should probably give it a try.

Neji slipped out of his room and down two long corridors, quietly approaching the head house member's living quarters. He walked past Hinata's room, Hanabi's room… a couple of elders' rooms… Hiashi's room. There was a light peaking out from the cracks where the door didn't quite meet the doorframe, a telltale sign that it was one of Hiashi's sleepless nights.

Knock.

Before Neji could register it, his knuckles had come in contact with the door and a knock, a lone sound in the otherwise silent night, echoed in his ears.

"Neji, come in", Neji could feel his uncle's byakugan burning through him. He opened the door cautiously to see a tired Hiashi leaning over his desk, dressed in night clothes and wrapped in a long robe.

"Uncle", Neji bowed.

"What is it?' Hiashi looked up, giving his nephew a weary glance. There were heavy bags under his eyes, a rare sight for someone who constantly needed to keep up an image.

"I- I was just wondering about…", Neji stuttered, unsure of how to word his question. He normally spoke smoothly, and with poise, so this was obviously something new.

"About everything?" Hiashi sighed, "I knew this would come sooner or later, especially from someone as intelligent as you, Neji".

The subtle compliment was met with a slight smile.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to start?" Hiashi continued.

"I don't know", Neji admitted truthfully. Everything was so confusing; nothing made sense. Why would he be praised in such a way for simply completing a mission? "I don't understand what I did… why it was so- why it brought about such a reward".

"What do you mean?"

"When my father died in your place, he only received acknowledgement. He gave his _life_ for you", Neji stressed. Bitter memories swirled in his mind and he fought hard to remind himself that he and Hiashi were supposed to be on the same side.

"He chose to do so", the reply was quiet, remorseful.

"I know", Neji's tone lowered as well, "but he deserved more. Is this compensation? Are you giving me what my father deserved?"

"No. You deserve every bit of this", Hiashi replied, "My death would have resulted in the loss of a member from the head house, yes, but Hinata would have been able to continue the line. Had Hinata, being the eldest daughter, been taken away, there would be no one to succeed her".

"But Hanabi –"

"She is a member of the head family at this moment, because she is my daughter. But she is the second daughter- the one who eventually leads the branch family", Hiashi's voice had regret in it, "I've been doing all I can to change that, Neji".

"You're trying to make her part of the head family?" Neji asked, slightly shocked.

"And you, I've been trying to do the same for you as well", Hiashi continued.

"Why?"

There was a long pause, a heavy air of tense silence. Hiashi seemed to be thinking deeply, as if trying to phrase his words in the gentlest way possible.

"There is remorse, Neji. You have so much potential, so much ability. So much could be opened up to you, if you just overcame this one small obstacle. And," he took a deep breath, "I feel responsible. Your father died because he wanted to be free, to finally make a decision of his own, but he still died in my place".

"So it's guilt", Neji stated flatly. He nodded to himself, as if coming to an internal agreement.

"I'm really trying. So far, the elders have been extremely stubborn. Even with what power I have, it's not nearly enough to overcome years after years of tradition and customs. I am just one person".

"But you're trying. Thank you, Uncle", Neji's bow hinted that he was done speaking for the moment and Hiashi complied, allowing his nephew to leave so his mind could register all the information he'd acquired.

Neji stepped out into the dark hallway and shut the door with a sigh. He had to admit he felt a bit better, because now there was hope. But at the same time, he wondered why he still needed the help of others for him to move forward in life. Couldn't he reach the same success without Hiashi's backing? Did he really need – CRASH!!

A feminine squeak, followed by repeated apologizes crowded his ears and Neji froze, trying to recognize the voice.

"Hinata-sama", he managed to quickly collect himself and activated his byakugan, immediately seeing the form of his cousin crouched in front of him. It looked as if she'd been walking around, for reasons unknown to him, and had walked right into him.

"Sorry", he silently scolded himself for not being alert.

"I- I was just…" Hinata's voice trailed off and Neji detected a hint of guilt in her tone.

"Were you listening?" he guessed.

In the dark, Hinata's head bobbed up and down as she nodded, poking her fingers together and fidgeting in her nightclothes. Neji sighed. He couldn't get mad at his cousin- well, for one thing, he wasn't allowed to, but he knew that the conversation had an impact on Hianta as well.

He could tell by her movements that what Hiashi had said made Hinata felt small. She felt insignificant in her father's eyes. While her younger sister and cousin were opened less to opportunities due to chance of birth, they were actually surpassing her in skills. And to prove it all, Hiashi was trying to bend the rules for them. Where did that leave her?

"Hinata-sama", Neji began respectfully, releasing his byakugan, "there's no need to be bothered by your father's words. You have potential in your own way".

He left her to ponder upon that and swiftly walked away, heading for his own room. The walls of the hallway blurred past him and occasionally, a faint beam of light shone in through the windows. He couldn't tell if it was moonlight or street lamps, but in all honestly, he didn't give a crap.

Neji entered his room and locked the door behind him, throwing his tired body upon the bed. His head hurt from trying to think too hard, but he couldn't resist playing and re-playing Hiashi's words over and over again. Was there an underlying meaning to those words?

He groaned and rolled onto his side, staring at the blank wall. Sleep finally conquered him and his eyes closed.


	16. Chapter 15

theFiller Chapter!! Wootwoot!! So, since the manga has fillers, I've decided to make a "filler chapter" just for the heck of it. But uh, don't worry, the fillers _do _lead somewhere. Let's pretend this is the closing of one arc and the next arc will start in the next chapter and began revolving around the Chunnin exams a year later. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 15

It was no later than nor earlier than six in the morning when his alarm began ringing excitedly, bouncing along his bedside table until it toppled over the edge and onto his bed. That only caused the ringing to be louder.

He grunted sleepily and reached out a hand, slapping it down on the poor mechanized machine, silencing it. It wasn't long before another sound, possibly more annoying than the alarm's ringing, echoed from downstairs and into his room.

"Shikamaru!!! Are you up yet?"

Shikamaru rolled over in his bed to look at the ceiling. Troublesome woman. He sighed and lazily dragged his body off the bed, slumping as he made his way into the restroom. An unsteady hand reached out and landed roughly around the faucet, searching a little before finally succeeding in turning the tap, allowing cool water to flow into the sink.

He dunked his head down and splashed water onto his face. The cold liquid, so cold it almost stung, shocked him into being fully awake. "Troublesome", he muttered, reaching for a towel.

His mother's nagging voice reached the restroom and Shikamaru grumbled again.

"I'm coming!" he yelled.

He returned to his room, this time with a bit more speed, and got dressed. A third call of his name signaled that it was really time to hurry it up and Shikamaru finally made his way down the stairs.

"Hurry up, now", his mother greeted, "eat this quickly. The Academy's waiting".

Shikamaru paused and stared at his mom, "I have over half an hour", he replied.

"Yes, well, knowing you, you'd probably need more time".

He couldn't argue with the logic and instead, simply sat down at the table where he was joined shortly by his father. The two males sat across from each other, silently eating while the only female inhabitant of the house rambled on and on about the day ahead of them.

When she finally left, Shikamaru turned to his father and smiled.

"She's charming, isn't she?" came the sarcastic reply.

"Yep".

"So, where are you headed this early?"

"The academy, dad. I'm being trained to be an examiner for the next Chunnin exam", Shikamaru explained.

"I heard it was going to be in the Sand this time".

"Yep".

"That's nice".

"It's far and it's troublesome, but it can't be helped".

They both fell silent. There was no need for Shikaku to ask his son any further questions and Shikamaru had no desire of answering them either. The food was finished, the woman of the house kissed on either cheek, and the door locked as father and son left the house and headed their own ways.

Shikamaru took the longest route to the Academy, taking his time to enjoy the day. It was roughly seven by now; he was almost late, but he didn't worry too much about it. He estimated the distance he had left and calculated that in the end, he probably wouldn't be late.

As he passed by a very familiar part of the village, a high pitch, somewhat preppy voice called out to him.

"Where are you going?" Ino came bounding at him, her shimmering blonde hair bouncing behind her.

"Academy", he replied, slowing his steps so she could walk alongside him.

"For what?" she asked, tilting her head to look at him.

"Chunnin exams. I'm training to be an examiner", he replied.

"You sound like you're not too excited about it", Ino laughed lightly.

"It's troublesome", the reply was all honesty. He really meant it; it wasn't something he would ever choose to do, but in reality, he knew it was something he'd be incredibly adept at.

"Well, what are you doing afterwards? We should go find Chouji and Asuma-sensei and eat out", Ino grinned.

"Sure", Shikamaru agreed, "and why are you suddenly in a good mood?"

"Nothing", Ino smiled.

Shikamaru looked at her strangely, then sighed and turned away. Women were so troublesome. Still, judging from the sparkle in her eye, he could tell Ino was excited about something. Most likely the fact that she'd become a Chunnin. Yeah, that was probably it.

They arrived in front of the Academy and Ino sighed, taking a look around with an expression of nostalgia across her face. Shikamaru glanced at her again and shrugged. _Troublesome_.

"I miss the Academy", Ino murmured softly.

"Why?" There was no way Shikamaru could relate to the feelings his teammate had. After all, his own days at the Academy were filled with plots to sneak out of class, ways to hide the fact that he was asleep during a lesson, and long lectures from Iruka-sensei about the importance of learning. Those weren't exactly his definition of "fun".

"We were so young back then. So innocent. Everyone was still friends and… and Sasuke was still here", Ino's voice trailed off and she looked self-consciously at the ground, something she rarely did.

"Well, Sasuke didn't do much even when he _was_ here", Shikamaru replied.

"It was such a silly crush", Ino didn't seem to hear him, "Sakura and I… It just all seems so childish".

"Well, in case you've forgotten, she's still chasing after him", Shikamaru reminded her, "just in her own way."

"That's right", Ino nodded, "she's improving her medic skills so she can be useful. At least that's what she told me. Then, she plans on trying again".

"Yeah", Shikamaru mumbled. They had made their way down the hallways of the academy, until they reached the room where Shikamaru was supposed to meet several examiners from the previous Chunnin exams as well as "important people" from the Sand.

Ino paused in her steps to look around the halls, taking in the place full of memories while Shikamaru, unaware of his teammate's lagging, walked ahead. He was met with an unexpected sight as Temari of the Sand, complete with her large fan and sarcastic smirk, walked out of the room he was about to enter, saw him with a surprised look on her face, grinned, then dragged him back into the room.

"So, barbeque tonight?" Ino confirmed. She turned to look at where Shikamaru was supposed to be, but only caught sight of another girl tugging him into a room. Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. Who the heck was that?

_Well, even when we're both Chunnin, you're still too busy to hang out with me_, she thought softly.

Heels turned, Ino walked back out of the Academy, the bounce no longer in her steps.

* * *

That very same morning, a few streets away and several hours earlier, a pink-haired kunoichi groggily stumbled out of bed and into the shower. She could barely see in front of her and her head hurt slightly from sleeping too late the night before.

Sakura was still exhausted and she leaned gently on the railing in her shower for support. The hospital had her running around in circles, doing all the lower jobs despite that fact that she was trained personally by the Hokage. Recently, since Tsunade had been preoccupied with overseeing the carving of her face into the Hokage's monument, Sakura had been left alone to fend for herself in the world of medics.

Her days at the hospital were filled with simple jobs, cleaning, gathering supplies, and if she was lucky enough, healing a few minor wounds. She was thoroughly sick of the repetitiveness and wanted to learn more advanced techniques. But, Tsunade was busy and Shizune refused to teach her, stating that she was afraid of messing up Tsunade's plans.

A bit later, Sakura exited the shower and wrapped a towel around her, making her way into her bedroom. Her outfits lay limply on one corner of her bed, ugh, she'd have to get those washed. There was a medic uniform in her closet and she pulled it out, tossing it casually over her. Her short hair needed no caring for; she simply let it dry on it own.

Over the years, Sakura's interest in vanity had died out and now, despite the fact that she was reaching an age where her beauty blossomed, she couldn't care less about how she looked. Sure, boys in the village whistled at her and even some patients in the hospital specifically wanted to be in her care, but she paid them little attention.

Her mind and heart were still faithfully set on Sasuke. The schoolgirl crush she'd had on him had faded away, but she couldn't say the same about her feelings for him. No matter what, they were still there.

Sakura sighed and quickly tied her forehead protector around her head, then grabbed a few personal belongings and rushed out of the house. She would pick up something to eat along the way.

As she made her way along the streets, the first rays of sunlight emerged from behind a vast chain of hills bordering one side of Konoha. The glow reached her body, warming her graciously. Sakura quickened her steps towards the hospital, hoping that if she got there early enough, she might be able to do something interesting today.

No such luck. As Sakura walked into Konoha hospital, swallowing the last of her breakfast she'd bought along the way, a rather grouchy nurse came hurrying towards her, tossing a great pile of used cloths for her to deal with. "And when you're done, come find me in the east wing. I've got more things for you to do", she added.

Sakura inwardly grumbled at the stupid task she was assigned to do, but managed to smile on the outside. There was no use pissing the nurse off; that'd just bring her more trouble. Both Sakura and the nurse were just steps away from exiting the lobby, one person on each side of the room, when a clear voice rang out, calling both of them back.

Never in her life had Sakura been happier to see the Hokage. Tsunade stood at the entrance of the lobby, arms crossed, Shizune standing behind her.

"Sakura, what are you doing with those towels?" she demanded, eyeing the grouchy nurse with a slight glare.

"I- she-" Sakura smiled a little and Inner Sakura cheered wildly as the grouchy nurse was forced to take back the dirty laundry and dispose of them herself. Sakura wasn't much of an elitist, but just this once, she was proud of being the Hokage's apprentice. It made her feel like she had "connections".

"I thought you were checking out the mountain", Sakura said as she followed Tsunade and Shizune out of the hospital.

"I was. But we figured out a better and much quicker solution", Tsunade smiled, "And that leaves me more time to teach you something new. C'mon".

Sakura grinned and followed her.

* * *

Between the carvings of the third and forth Hokage's face, there existed a small platform of rock, hanging somewhat dangerously over the side of the mountain. It was large enough for one person to stand comfortably on, or maybe for two, if they were thin enough.

At the moment, Hyuuga Neji stood upon this platform, one hand on the rocky mountain beside him to steady himself, the other hanging loosely at his side. He scanned the area around him with his byakugan, carefully studying the structure of the mountains to make sure he caught all the weak points.

The ones that had already been found were being fixed at that very moment. Several teams had been sent up to add support to certain areas, ensuring a safe carving of the Godaime's face to the monument.

"There's one over there", he announced through the radio, "10 degrees east, 45 degrees north".

"Got it", the reply was interrupted by static.

Neji sighed to himself, then shifted his position to cover his blind spot. For the most part, the mountain seemed steady, but he knew there were small, rather weak areas, and that it was his duty to find them.

_My first assignment as a jounin, and I'm stuck here doing this_, he thought sarcastically.

* * *

When the nurse finally arrived to announce that she was free to leave the hospital, Tenten literally felt a rush of happiness overcome her. Well, actually, that could have just been a rush of wind coming in from the open window, but either way, she was happy.

Her first stop was to find Neji. Ever since she'd gotten the scroll, she'd been dying to try it out. And who better to try it out with than her training partner? With the large scroll hugged tightly to her chest, Tenten approached the enormous Hyuuga compound. She'd been here before, yet every time she approached them massive walls, she felt a cloud of intimidation hovering over her head. There was just something about the place, so elegant, so secretive, so…"wow-ish" that made her feel incredibly small.

Tenten crossed the courtyard and approached the large sliding doors, pausing as she looked around. The place seemed strangely silent that day and she gulped a little before knocking. A servant greeted her with a polite bow and told her that Neji had gone out to do something for the Hokage, leaving Tenten feeling rather disappointed.

_Already leaving me for missions?_ She sighed, thanked the kind lady, then turned to leave the place. As she walked back across the courtyard, Tenten heard a quiet voice call her name, then turned to see Hinata hurrying after her.

"Hey Hinata!" she greeted the shy girl with a smile.

"Hi", Hinata smiled back.

"Do you know where Neji went?" Tenten asked, expecting to hear that he was on some top secret mission.

"He's at the Hokage's monument", the reply surprised her.

"What?"

"Tsunade-sama requested that he help with scouting out the mountain", Hinata answered.

"Oh!" Tenten's face brightened visibly, "Do you know when he'll be done? I can't wait to try out this thing and I need a training partner".

"I'm not sure. But if you'd like, I can help you", Hinata offered.

Tenten looked at the girl and smiled, "Of course! C'mon, let's go". Hinata was not given a chance to say anything before she was dragged out of her home by an overexcited Tenten, who had apparently been locked away in a hospital for one too many days.

They reached a familiar clearing in the middle of a cluster of trees and Tenten set down her scroll, cautiously prying it open. Hinata stood beside her, watching intently as Tenten pulled out a brush and began furiously scrawling onto the cloth-like paper, creating the symbols for various summons.

"Are you ready?" Tenten asked after a moment of silence.

"Ready for what?"

"Well, I thought you wanted to train. Since you and Neji have similar jutsus, this will work out great".

"How do you guys normally train?" Hinata asked curiously.

"Well, I practice my aim and Neji works on his defense. Here, stand in the clearing and try to deflect everything I send at you. You'll get the hang of it".

Hinata agreed and moved into a defensive stance, turning on her byakugan as Tenten disappeared into the trees, her large scroll tucked under one arm. Without warning, she sent out a set of kunais. A simple first attack, just to make sure Hinata caught on to what she was doing.

The metallic weapons were deflected with strikes of Chakra and Tenten beamed. This was going to be fun. She sent out a second wave of weapons and quickly changed her position in the trees, then watched as each metal object fell to the floor after Hinata struck them with her palms.

"Am I doing this right?" she called out.

"Yeah!" Tenten replied. She quickly jumped to a different tree again to hide her location, then sent out more weapons. _Hopefully, I'll get to use this soon, _she thought, looking at her large scroll.

Hinata deflected every weapon perfectly and Tenten decided she could now test out her new scroll. With one swift movement, she dragged open the end, sending a shower of weapons into the clearing.

Hinata knew she wasn't fast enough to deflect all of them, and she hadn't figured out how to perfect her own Kaiten, so she quickly avoided the rain of metal, landing roughly on her feet behind a tree.

Tenten watched the scene with wide eyes, then quickly jumped out from the tree and hurried over to the girl. "Shoot! I forgot you couldn't- I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright. You're not used to someone weaker than Neji-nii-san".

"No, no, that's not what I meant!"

"It's ok. I already know".

"What are you talking about, Hinata?"

Hinata didn't reply at first, but instead, sat down on the ground and rested against the tree. Tenten followed her example and sat down as well, looking over at the girl beside her. Her eyes had returned to normal and were shifting nervously around, as if she was trying to figure out how to start.

"My father acknowledges Neji's abilities. He wishes Neji were the first-born. _His_ first-born".

"He said that?" Tenten asked, surprised.

"No".

"Then-"

"Neji spoke to him the night of the ceremony. My father is trying to find a way to release the curse seal from Neji and from Hanabi".

"Well, that's a very kind gesture", Tenten said thoughtfully, "and even though I don't know too much about how the Hyuuga clan works, I'm sure its something everyone must be happy about, isn't it?"

"The elders are very strict on the rules. My father must see a lot of potential in him if he wants to help", Hinata paused, then opened her mouth as if to say more, but clamped it shut again.

"I'm sorry", Tenten suddenly understood the position that Hinata was put in. If her younger sister and cousin were receiving this much attention from Hiashi, then it should have been reasonable for Hiashi to give much more care to his eldest daughter. But, he didn't.

"I'm skipping this coming Chunnin exam", Hianta announced suddenly.

"What?"

"I thought about it and I've decided I want to train more. I want to be stronger so I can take the exam the next year and pass".

Tenten was at a loss for words. She hadn't really thought about this option, but now that Hinata mentioned it, it seemed pretty reasonable.

"Well, I hope the best for you", she finally managed.

"Thank you", the reply was no more than a whisper.

* * *

The director droned on and on about the rules and regulations, not bothering to chance his monotone voice. He knew he was boring people, and he knew everyone knew that he knew, but he didn't care.

"…And so, after meeting all of the above requirements, the Chunnin examinee will pass the Chunnin selection exams". He finished speaking and a wave of whispers moved over the audience.

"That was a mouthful", Shikamaru sighed. He was sore from sitting in the same chair for such a long time and bored out of his mind. It wasn't like anyone didn't know the basic rules; they just didn't know every single detail by heart. And really, even after the director said everything, it wasn't like they were going to memorize it right away. So why bother?

"At least its over", the voice beside him replied.

"I guess", he looked over at Temari with a lazy gaze; she returned the look.

The room full of people was excused and as they made their way out of the doors, Shikamaru noticed that Temari was pretty much following him.

"What are you doing after this?" He asked not out of care nor curiosity; he supposed he just asked for the heck of it.

"I came alone this time. Gaara's been extremely busy after he became the Kazekage, and Kankuro's been helping him", she sighed, "but I'm still stuck with the whole Chunnin exam stuff".

"So you're a representative then, a diplomat?"

"Sort of".

Shikamaru made no reply. He looked at the girl beside him and felt a tinge of pity poke at him. Pity? She was normally so poised, so sarcastic, so … demanding, almost. And now, to see her alone and looking defeated made him feel bad.

"What are you looking at?" she demanded.

_Nope, the same ol' Temari is back_, he winced at her harsh tone, then smirked.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

She shrugged in reply.

He looked at her and said, "Well, I know of a great barbeque place…"

* * *

The afternoon was slipping away fast; the sun was setting lower and lower in the sky. Time was running out and he had yet to perfect this new jutsu. Chouji sighed and leaned against the tree trunk, pausing to catch his breath before concentrating his chakra again.

"Don't worry, you're doing a lot better than I expected", Asuma spoke up beside him. The jounin was looking a bit worn out as well.

"One more time", Chouji urged. He felt a rush of chakra gather in his arms and move towards his hand. Then, he concentrated. His fingers inflated, followed by his palm, his arms...

"It looks like you've got it!" Asuma grinned, his cigarette moving slightly as his lips curved up.

"Yeah", Chouji huffed.

"You're growing at an incredibly fast rate", Asuma stated proudly, "although, if your father wasn't assigned to that mission, he could help you improve even faster".

"It's ok. Ino said I shouldn't just rely on others to help me", Chouji replied as watched his arms return to their normal size. He had been practicing a new jutsu; expanding just one part of his body instead of his entire mass. So far, he'd managed to enlarge parts of his body, but at a rather slow rate. And, sometimes, he didn't enlarge the parts evenly.

"That's enough for today", Asuma decided. Chouji nodded in agreement.

"Asuma-sensei?"

"Hn?"

"We _are_ going to a barbeque tonight, aren't we?"

"Heh, of course. Ino said she already talked to Shikamaru about it".

"She must be happy that she's become a Chunnin", Chouji thought aloud.

"You can become one too. Work hard, Chouji".

"Yeah. Work hard, then eat hard, right?"

They laughed at the shared joke, then fell into silence, walking alongside the grass as they took the path into the center of the village. They were greeted by an impatient looking Ino, who was slightly angry that neither they nor Shikamaru had shown up on time.

"You guys have no sense of responsibility", she reprimanded them, tugging anxiously at her hair.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Chouji asked, looking around.

"He's _late_", Ino tapped her foot.

"C'mon now, I'm sure he knows where we're meeting, so let's just go first", Asuma raised a hand in an attempt to stop any further arguing. It worked.

The trio made their way into the barbeque restaurant they frequently visited and the waiter smiled at them, recognizing the familiar faces. "Four?" he didn't really need to ask; it was always the four of them.

They were led to the same table they sat at each time, beside the window that allowed them to look out into the streets. Chouji took the window seat and Asuma sat beside him. Ino sat down and looked at the empty space beside her, suddenly missing Shikamaru's presences.

"He'll be here. He's just a lazy ass sometimes", Chouji assured her. Moments later, the small bell hanging from the doorframe tinkled and Ino's head snapped up, her expression becoming that of a surprised one as she watched Shikamaru walk in with some girl who looked vaguely familiar.

What was her name? Te…Tema-something…Temari? Of the Sand.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Chouji waved a hand and his teammate walked towards them with Temari trailing awkwardly behind him. She looked like she felt extremely out of place, as if she were intruding on some important meeting.

"Hey guys. Uh, can we get a larger table?" Shikamaru motioned to Temari with a tilt of his head and Asuma took the hint, standing up so that the group could move to a table for five.

They were placed at a new table, with Temari sitting between Shikamaru and Ino on one side and Asuma and Chouji on the other. The barbeque was served, and like always, Chouji was the first to dig in.

"Something wrong?" Asuma saw the grimace on Ino's face.

She shook her head and looked down at her food, then stuck it in her mouth. She could barely taste it.

* * *

When Tenten and Hinata reached the front of the Hyuuga Estate, it was dark. The night air was warm, with an occasional cool breeze flowing through the air. A few stars twinkled merrily in the sky, but most of them were unseen due to the lit street lamps.

They paused and Hinata turned to her companion, "Do you want to come in?"

"Uh, it's ok. I'll just head home. Thanks", Tenten quickly smiled, then turned to walk away when a voice called out her name.

"Hinata-sama", Neji nodded to his cousin, hinting that he wanted alone time with his teammate.

"Hey", Tenten turned back to greet him.

"You've been released from the hospital", he commented as Hinata disappeared inside the house.

"Yeah, I came to look for you, but you were doing something".

"Scouting out the mountain. The fifth's face will be carved in tomorrow", Neji replied.

"Sounds neat", Tenten looked around.

"So, what did you do all day?" Neji didn't really have it in him to genuinely care what someone else spent their day doing, but he felt like asking nevertheless.

"Hinata and I tested out the new scroll I got", Tenten's features brightened as she remembered the large scroll she was holding.

"Hn", Neji nodded in an approving manner.

"We-uh- didn't actually do much training. She can't do the Kaiten as well as you, so we ended up just talking".

"About what?"

"She told me what your uncle is trying to do, Neji. I had no idea all of this was so important to you, to her, to everyone".

He shrugged, not seeming to care. It was as if her words had no effect on him, but Tenten knew better. Neji was just that type of person- unable to show what he really thought. But she could tell her words affected him.

"In the end, I still have to rely on others to improve myself", he sounded like he despised the idea.

"Your uncle only wants to help you. That should be a good thing, Neji".

"I know".

"But it's against everything you've known, isn't it? Your hatred for the main house, your father's death".

He didn't reply, but the acknowledgement was implied.

* * *

QUESTION- what kind of mission would you like to see and who would you like to see go on the mission? 


	17. Chapter 16

YAY!! New arc!! So, basically, there's going to be one mission, followed by the Chunnin exams (we're on year two of the three year time skip), and something else, which I don't know yet. Enjoy!

Many thanks to my reviewers! (and hopefully, there'll be more next time)-

Aireonna tenjichan gs rocks whitephoenix13 SmallButPowerful

* * *

Chapter 16

The Chunnin exams were roughly two months away and the only thing on Tenten's mind was training. So, it came as quite a surprise when the Hokage called Team Gai- all four of its members- to assemble in her office.

Tenten had just been ready to leave her house and meet Neji at their usual training ground when a knock came at her door. Wondering who it could be, she had cautiously opened the door and came face to face with the person she was just heading out to see.

"What are you doing here?" her first reaction was that she was late and Neji was here to scold her for it.

"We've been assigned a mission", the reply was swift.

"Oh", Tenten was at a loss for words. She followed Neji out the door and they walked together in silence- a comfortable silence, relaxed and somewhat refreshing. Tenten realized, as they walked, that she'd spent too much time worrying about improving herself and training. Maybe a mission would do her some good. It was probably about time they get out of the village for a while anyways.

Neji didn't seem to agree. "This is taking time away from your training", he announced.

Tenten was surprised to hear him say that. She knew Neji was always bent on following rules and having a sense of duty. She'd expected him to be willing to go on missions for the good of Konoha. So where was this reluctance coming from?

"We're shinobi", she reminded him gently, "we're _supposed_ to go on missions".

"I know", he replied dully, "but the Chunnin exams are coming up and you need more training".

Tenten swallowed his words slowly, thinking carefully about the underlying meaning. Since when had he cared so much about how strong she was? She took it as an insult, as if he was implying that she wasn't strong enough, that she was slowing him down.

"A mission could be an opportunity to learn something new", she countered, hoping her defense would hold up against his. Neji wasn't someone who was easy to argue with. Most of the time, whoever dared to speak against him eventually lost the argument to his undeniable logic. And even if it wasn't really logical, he made it sound like it was.

"I hope so", he didn't say anything else and Tenten fell silent until they reached the doors of Tsunade's office. Neji reached forward to knock and Tenten automatically took a step behind him, standing so that he covered half her body. It was plainly out of habit that she stood behind Neji, and she never gave it a second thought.

"Come in", the fifth Hokage's voice rang through the silence and Neji opened the door, revealing a room with four people. The Hokage, of course, sat behind her desk, hands folded under her chin. Shizune stood beside her, a small stack of folders clutched in her arms. In front of them stood Gai and Lee, as ready and eager as ever, dressed in their outrageous green jumpsuits.

Neji greeted them politely and Tenten mumbled something similar.

"We've received a request from the Mist Village", Tsunade explained, getting straight to the point, "There have been reported assassinations. Shizune?"

"Right", Shizune nodded and pulled out one of the folders she was holding, handing it to the Hokage.

"So, it says here that the killings have been random, but that's hardly believable. There are some suspicions and rumors going around that say nothing is as "random" as it seems. This is where you four come in", Tsunade paused and looked up, mostly at Gai, as if silently assigning him the leader of the squad.

"The mission has two parts", she continued after a moment, "First, you are to go undercover as citizens and do some "research". You will act as travelers who happen to pass by the area and stumble upon these rumors. Ask around and see what you can find out. The point is to see what or who the assassins are targeting".

Gai nodded and Lee bobbed his head as well.

"Good. Then, you must track down the assassin and dispose of him."

"Why can't we just get to that part?" Lee spoke up, eager for action.

"Because you must extract information from whomever you capture. The goal isn't just to dispose of the current assassin, because that would give us very little information. I'm almost positive this guy is just one small part of a larger organization", Tsunade replied.

"Very well, we'll be on our way, Hokage-sama", Gai bowed.

"Alright", Tsunade nodded and a small smile flitted onto her face. No matter how long she'd been at this job, and no matter how long she would be doing this in the future, she knew she would never get tired of sending off a squad for a mission. There was just something about the way the Shinobi of Konoha took their job so seriously that made her immensely proud.

It was sort of like sending kids off to their first day of school. Her smile grew as she watched the four shinobi leave the room. Beside her, Shizune smiled quietly to herself. She knew what was going through her Sensei's mind and she had to admit she felt the same way.

* * *

When the four members of Team-Gai met once again at the gates of Konoha, they were dressed in Shinobi attire. Gai had decided that although they were supposed to be disguised as civilians, they still had to get to the Mist Village first. 

"Until we're within a hundred meter radius", he explained, "we're going to stay shinobi. There could still be dangers in the forest".

The rest of the squad didn't complain. They followed the example set by their sensei and started off into the woods, leaping effortlessly from tree to tree. The traveling was done in silence, as there wasn't too much to talk about. Lee tried to challenge Neji to a few menial competitions, but was politely declined.

Tenten just watched her teammates bicker, silently chuckling to herself. Some things never changed.

They arrived at the edge of the Mist Village a little before sundown and Gai stopped suddenly, raising a hand to stop all movement from his squad.

"We're here", he announced quietly.

They split up into the four corners of the clearing they were standing in and quickly changed into the civilian clothes they'd brought. Lee was upset about changing out of his jumpsuit, but Gai had quickly fixed the problem by giving him a new set of clothes that probably looked worse than the jumpsuit. But, it pleased Lee, and that was all that mattered.

Neji didn't bother to change too much. He simply slipped off the Konoha forehead protector and hid his weapons in his pack.

Tenten had it much worse. Under Tsunade's orders, she was forced to wear possibly _the_ most feminine outfit she'd ever laid eyes on. Tenten thought it was absolutely hideous, but Gai and Lee had enthusiastically cheered her on.

And now, as she emerged from behind the trees in her civilian clothes, forehead protector dangling from one hand, Tenten wished someone would just stick a couple of exploding tags on her and get it over with. Both Lee and Gai gave her a flashy thumbs up.

Neji remained in the background, smirking slightly when he caught the expression on her face. It was one of pure hatred and anger.

"I know it was Tsunade-sama's idea to make me more girly, but who was the idiot that bought this outfit?!" she yelled into the silence.

"It doesn't look that bad", Neji replied dryly.

Tenten glared at him and raised a hand to her back pocket, ready to draw out a weapon. But, she'd forgotten that civilian attire required that they hid all weapons. _Well, that just completely took away all sense of safety_. She was _not _used to having no weapons for defense.

"We need to go", Gai urged them, hoping to break up the little quarrel. It worked. Tenten huffed angrily as she gathered all her shinobi items and stuff them into her pack, then tossed it over her shoulder.

They walked down the path leading to the entrance of the Mist Village and paused at a dock. Several wooden boats were sitting in the water, tied to little posts on the dock with thick pieces of rope. An old man sat in one of the boats and looked up at them, waving a hand carelessly.

"Hello there!" Gai called out cheerfully, "is this the Village of the Mist?"

"Yep. Just across the river here", the old man replied.

"May we have passage to this village, then?" Lee asked with impeccable manners.

"Of course, of course. It'll cost you, though", the old man studied the four travelers in front of him, trying to guess where they were from. From the way they stood, they didn't seem too intelligent or useful. Although, that girl in the back would probably sell for a hefty price at a brothel.

"How's this?" Gai pulled out several coins and showed it to the old man, giving him a bright smile as well. He had remembered to ask Tsunade for some foreign money so that there was no way anyone could tell they were from Konoha.

"Ay, looks like you're from some far away place, doesn't it?" the old man couldn't recognize the coins placed in his hands, but he weighed them expertly and saw that they had value in them. Or, at least some potential for value.

"Yes, quite far", Gai agreed vaguely.

"Well, c'mon, get in, get in", the old man nodded to them, "why don't you sit right here by me, girlie?" he motioned to Tenten and patted the seat beside him. But, Neji had somehow managed to insert himself in the space between them and he gently nudged Tenten so that she was forced to move to one side and sit at the edge of the boat, between the wooden edge and himself.

The old man caught this subtle movement and narrowed his eyes jealously. _Must be an overprotective boyfriend, huh_, he thought to himself. Tenten glanced around innocently, unaware of what had just happened. Distracted by the uncomfortable clothes she was wearing, she hadn't even heard the comment the old man had made to her.

When all five members were seated in the boat, the old man picked up his paddle and began moving toward the village. Night was falling fast and a thick fog settled over the waters. An uncomfortable silence fell over the group and Gai began babbling, "So, any good sightseeing places around here?" He tried to sound unintelligent, even adding a slight accent to his speech.

"Not much during this time of year", came the reply, "But it's better like that. Ain't been too safe recently".

"What do you mean?" Gai asked, his interest perking up, although he was careful to hide it.

"Well, there's been killin's, ye know? People dying randomly", the old man explained, "It's spirits, I tell ya, spirits".

"That's interesting", Gai played along, "those spirits must be angry at something".

"Oh, you believe in them too, don't ya?" the old man smiled a crooked smile and Tenten shuddered. Unconsciously, Neji edged closer, forming a human shield on one side of her.

"What do you know about these spirits?" Lee asked.

"Spirits? Well, not much, of course. But I say they're angry. They've been killing people at night, and there's never any clues left behind. So I say they must be spirits. No one else can do the job that well. And they're punishing people too, they only get at those moneybags", the old man looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Rich people?" Neji confirmed.

"Yep. Probably because they're robbing the poor people. They're corrupted, those big businessmen".

"Hn", Neji fell silent and Gai looked at him, a worried look on his face. It seemed as if Neji had thought of something, but this was no time to be asking him.

The boat reached the other side of the shore and the old man pulled them up to the dock, then nodded as the four travelers got out. They thanked him and left quickly.

"Well, that girlie woulda gotten me quite some money", he mused. Without another word, the old man turned around and began rowing back to the other side.

* * *

By the time Team-Gai reached the center of the village, it was nighttime. The sky had turned black and the fog was thicker, leaving a trail of coldness all around. They were able to book two rooms in a small inn, although the rooms were rather far apart. 

As Tenten trudged towards the room she would have to be using alone, she heard rushed whispers behind her, like an argument. She turned to see Lee trying to convince Neji of something, but it didn't look like it was working.

They must have been pretty preoccupied with what they were arguing about, because neither noticed that Tenten had fully turned around and was freely eavesdropping.

"She can handle herself!" Neji's voice was full of confidence.

"But we must always protect out teammates", Lee's voice sounded reasonable.

"She's a kunoichi- she'll be fine".

"If you will not help, I will do it!" Lee looked like he was about to take a step towards Tenten, but Neji reached out an arm and blocked him.

"_Fine_, I'll do it", he replied through gritted teeth. Tenten started at them, absolutely confused about what the hell was going on.

"You need a change of clothes and a roommate", Neji said in a louder voice, not bothering to even look at Tenten. So, apparently, he _was_ aware that she was listening.

"What are you guys talking about?" Tenten demanded.

"You won't be safe in this town dressed like _that_ and our rooms are too far apart", Neji explained. He turned away from Lee and began walking Tenten towards her room, almost dragging her along the hallway.

"What does that mean?" Tenten demanded again, shaking out of his grasp.

"The old man on the boat was getting ideas from the way you were dressed. And, Gai-sensei and Lee think that you can't take care of yourself", he sounded exasperated and Tenten decided not to push it any further.

"Oh, ok", she mumbled.

They reached the opposite end of the hall and went down two flights of stairs, causing Tenten to realize that her room really was pretty far. If anything dangerous happened, no one would get to her in time.

"First things first", Neji instructed. He left Tenten's things in a pile on the floor of the room, then tossed his own bags down.

"What are you doing?" Tenten asked, confused.

"I'm staying here", he replied as if it were he most obvious thing in the world, "But first we have to get you more decent clothes".

"Oh", Tenten was still a little confused, so she just let Neji drag her around without question. They went out into the streets and found a clothes shop. Almost immediately after she entered the doors, Tenten became bored. Clothes had never interested her, although she figured they probably should, since she was a girl and all.

Neji seemed pretty lost too. It wasn't like _he_ was good at shopping.

"So, uh, more decent clothes?" Tenten repeated awkwardly.

"Uh, yeah", Neji agreed weakly.

"Well, I want something simple, easy to move in", Tenten decided that was a good place to start.

They roamed aimlessly through the store and in the end, decided that they would just go back to the inn and use Tenten's old clothes. Without the weapons and scrolls, they looked decent and normal enough.

"That was a waste of time", Tenten muttered as they headed back to the inn. She was still stuck in her annoying clothes, but was glad she'd be rid of them soon.

"Shhh!" Neji hissed, quickly pulling her aside. He paused at a stand that sold dangos of every different flavor and looked as if he was trying to decide, but Tenten could tell he was actually concentrating very hard on listening to something… or someone.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tenten saw two men standing near the dango cart as well, discussing something in hushed tones. She picked at her pocket and pulled out some money, pretending to be counting it as if she was going to buy a dango. Neji followed her example and stared at the coins in her hand while he listened.

"So, what would you kids like?" the vendor interrupted and Neji almost growled in frustration. He'd been so close to gathering valuable information.

"Just this one, please", Tenten sighed and handed the man some money, then stuffed the food in her mouth.

"Let's go", Neji frowned and hurried his teammate back, eager to share what he'd just heard.

* * *

Gai and Lee had settled comfortably into their room and unpacked a few essential items. They were now sitting on opposite edges of the bed- one bed- trying to figure out where they were going to sleep. 

"I can just take the couch", Lee insisted.

"No, no. As my pupil, you must deserve the very best", Gai replied.

"But Gai-sensei, you are the squad leader", Lee countered.

Their little argument was broken when Neji threw open the door and hurried in, followed by Tenten.

"The old man on the boat was right about the assassinations", he blurted out in a hushed tone.

"They are really caused by the spirits?" Lee asked, shocked.

"No!' Neji shot him an incredulous look, "I meant about the rich people. Members of the wealthier class are the ones being targeted. And, according to a source, it's only the ones who have some sort of power over a company or something".

"Is that what you were listening to?" Tenten asked.

"Yes. I was going to hear the names of some of the companies if that vendor hadn't interrupted", Neji sighed.

"That's a good lead, Neji", Gai sounded satisfied, "We'll use that clue to our advantage tomorrow. We'll visit the richer parts of town and see what we can gather".

"Ok", Neji nodded.

"As for now, let us just have a good night's rest", Gai continued. Neji nodded and left the room, with Tenten towing behind him. As the door closed, they could hear the argument between Gai and Lee spring up again.

"I bet neither of them will end up using the bed", Tenten laughed lightly.

Neji didn't seem to hear her. He continued walking at a brisk step, lost in his own thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Tenten asked after a bit of silence.

"The mission".

"Oh", she didn't feel like she should bother him anymore, so Tenten shut her mouth. Along the way, she wondered vaguely how the sleeping arrangements were to be made. She chided herself for thinking of such silly things while they were on a mission, but she couldn't help it. After all, she was still a girl, and Neji was a guy. There were things that were unavoidable.

Besides, if Gai-sensei and Lee couldn't even figure out what to do about one bed, what was _she_ going to do? Neji, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to this small detail. He walked quietly into their room and began pulling out his clothes. Tenten watched him from the bed, hoping that he'd eventually bring up the subject so they could figure out what to do. She felt extremely awkward that she was making such a big deal out of this, but she couldn't help it. It bothered her.

When more silence passed by, Neji looked up to see why his teammate wasn't saying anything. He saw her sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring tentatively at him.

"What?" he asked.

"I-" Tenten didn't know where to start. She just kind of looked at Neji, hoping he would get the clue. He didn't. _Geez, boys were so dense!_

"What's wrong?" Well, at least he could tell something wasn't right.

"There's only one bed", Tenten managed to mumble.

Neji looked at her funny, then smirked slightly when he understood what she was hinting at. "I'm taking the couch", he made it sound so obvious.

Tenten gaped at him, unable to grasp how he could handle something in such a simple manner. It really didn't seem to bother him at all. He stood up and moved swiftly into the adjoining bathroom, announcing that he was going to shower. Tenten made no reply. In all honesty, she was a bit too stunned to say anything.

She stayed rooted to her spot, slowly mulling things over as she heard the water turn on in the restroom. She realized that she must have sat still for quite a while, thinking things over, because the next thing she knew, the sound of the water had disappeared and the door opened. Neji stepped out in the same nonchalant manner he always had and motioned vaguely to the restroom, signaling that Tenten was now free to use it. She nodded in reply, gathered the clothes she would change into, and stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

* * *

It was midnight- possibly past midnight, and Tenten couldn't sleep. Something was bugging her and she couldn't figure it out. She felt like something was missing, as if she'd forgotten to do something important. But she just couldn't figure it out. 

Her tossing and turning in the bed eventually woke Neji, who had always been a light sleeper. He shifted slightly on the tiny couch and asked quietly, "what's wrong?"

"I don't know", Tenten murmured in reply.

"Sleep", it was a command, but not as harsh as his normal commands were.

"I'm _trying_". She sighed.

"Try harder", he seemed to enjoy provoking her, so she ignored him, squeezing her eyes shut in hopes of finding sleep.

Eventually, she succeeded.

* * *

So, I know it would have been nice to see Hinata on this mission, but I'm saving her for something else. 


	18. Chapter 17

Finals this week!! (and I'm still updating, when I should be studying).

* * *

Chapter 17

Gai-sensei decided that the best way to cover the entire village was to split up. Neji and Tenten were assigned to roam the eastern portion of the village, talk to people, mingle, and hopefully, find out information about the assassinations. Gai and Lee would take the western half.

As shinobi, they were used to waking up extremely early, but it was decided that they would leave around nine in the morning, because if they left any earlier, there would be no one on the streets to talk to. That gave Tenten two extra hours to pace back and forth in her room in the inn, with nothing to do. Neji sat silently on the couch, unmoving, watching her intently as she walked back and forth, anxiously twisting the girly clothes she'd worn yesterday in her hands.

The fluorescent pink blouse looked more like a crumpled sock with frills all around the edges as it lay limply in Tenten's hands, her fingers crushing the fabric. She'd smushed it so that it was about the size of her palm, but she knew that had she been wearing it, it wouldn't have been much bigger. Her rather tight, also pink, pants were in her other hand, squeezed into a small bundle as well, so that it looked like a wash cloth with several strings hanging from it. What the strings were for, Tenten didn't want to know.

The other part of her outfit lay on the bed. Ridiculously pink, of course. It was a tiny skirt that was supposed to fit snuggly outside of the pants, fringed with extra lace at the ends and decorated generously with miniature bows and ribbons, in different shades of pink and occasionally red or white. Tenten glared at the clothes that she was trying to rip apart, looked up at Neji, then went back to glaring at the clothes.

"Why do people have to wake up so late?!" she grumbled impatiently, her fingers tightening on the pink outfit.

"You could go back to sleep", Neji told her smoothly.

"No. I already tried that".

"I know", he smirked. The girl had been up all night and had fallen asleep early in the morning, waking up only four hours later. Something was bothering her.

"There's nothing to do in here! I could be training!" she huffed.

_Training?_ Neji perked up, suddenly realizing what was bothering his teammate. "This is about the Chunnin exams", it wasn't a question.

"I don't know, is it?" Tenten wasn't so sure.

"You're still upset over what happened almost a year ago, Tenten. There's no reason to be. You've trained… _we've _trained, and you've improved", his slightly muted voice was soothing, coaxing her to calm down.

"Not enough", she replied.

"You're being too hard on yourself". It was strange to hear Neji say those words, especially since Tenten had been around the whole time when he was extremely hard on himself, struggling with his curse seal.

"You're one to talk", she retorted bitterly.

"I've learned".

"You're already a jounin, Neji, a _jounin_!" Tenten stressed, "of course you'd say there's no need to worry!"

"This isn't about me", he replied quietly. Apparently, her comment had affected him.

"I just wish this time could be used for training. There's so much more I need to learn".

"There's always more to learn- you can't learn everything, Tenten".

"I can try".

Neji scoffed at her stubbornness and looked away. He used to think _he_ was the stubborn one, the one who just wasn't able to accept his family history. But now, when compared to Tenten's character, he seemed to be a lot less stubborn.

"You can take this opportunity to train… to learn, at least", he corrected himself.

Tenten looked up at him, eyes hopeful. The smile of her face was widening into a grin and Neji gave himself a mental pat-on-the-back. He'd managed to cheer her up.

They fell silent, staring at the clock hanging from the wall. One more hour to go…

* * *

At precisely nine, Gai and Lee left their room, dressed in matching civilian clothes and each carrying a traveler's pack. They strode down the hall, walking with an enthusiastic gait. At the end of the hall, the two looked at each other, nodded, then continued down the stairs, their enthusiasm doubled, if that were possible. 

When they reached the door of their teammates, Lee stepped forward and knocked, striking his knuckles twice on the wooden door. Neji opened it a moment later, his eye's meeting Lee's. They understood.

"Let's go", Neji turned to Tenten, who was sitting idly on the bed, twirling a kunai around her fingers.

"Finally", she huffed, slipping off the bed. As Neji waited for her to cross the room, he watched Gai and Lee disappear down the stairs, already on their way.

"Wait, put that away", Neji stopped Tenten with an outstretched arm and motioned towards the kunai still in her hands, "you can't be seen carrying that around".

"I can't take this?" Tenten glanced wistfully at the weapon in her hands, but Neji chuckled, a quiet, amused chuckle.

"I said you can't be _seen_ carrying that around", he repeated himself.

Tenten grinned when she understood the underlying meaning of his words and slipped the kunai into a pocket. Of course, she wouldn't be _seen _with it around.

The door was locked, the key safely tucked into the pocket of Neji's robes, and they set off, exiting the inn through the main doors, looking very much like two friends who were traveling.

Neji led the way, heading for the direction where the sun was the brightest- the east. As they passed by several vendors, Tenten stopped to chat with them, giving each townsperson a dazzling smile. She vaguely introduced herself, remembering to use the same alias for each person she met. Beside her, Neji did the same.

They eventually wandered to a more lonely part of the village, near the lake that they'd crossed the day before. Tenten spotted a large bridge that seemed to serve as a dock and she dragged Neji with her, claiming that there had to be good sources there. After all, it was well known that merchants were most aware of the recent events.

"Look", Neji murmured softly, in an amused voice, as he pointed to the top of the bridge.

Tenten squinted as she looked up, the sun hitting her eyes. "The Great Naruto Bridge", she read aloud, "heh, that's funny".

"I heard this was Team Seven's first mission outside the village", Neji recalled.

"Wow, successful on their first try, huh?" Tenten mused.

They reached the end of the dock, where boats traveled back and forth, and merchants and workers loaded and unloaded supplies.

Tenten found the first person she could see and greeted her enthusiastically, explaining that she and Neji were curious travelers. The old woman replied in a hushed tone, "Travelers? It's best not to be traveling here at this time, dear".

"What do you mean?" Tenten questioned innocently.

"Well, it's dangerous, you know, especially for children like you. There's killings going around and rumors say they're targeting the rich, but I don't believe that. I say they're killing anyone they can get their filthy hands on".

"Really?" Tenten was genuinely interested now, leaning closer as the old woman continued.

"They got my son", she replied, "and he sure wasn't rich".

"I'm sorry", Tenten murmured quietly, a trace of remorse in her voice.

"So be careful, dear. Best to return home".

"Is there anything else you know about these murderers?" Tenten tried her luck.

"Well, this is just another rumor, but it's said that they can be found at the westernmost end of this village, on the outskirts of town, somewhere in the forest. But those are all rumors".

"Thank you", Tenten nodded sincerely and bid the woman goodbye before hurrying after Neji. He watched her walk quickly towards him, already knowing that she'd discovered something.

"Just a rumor", Tenten related the old woman's words to Neji, "but she said that they might be somewhere in the forest on the western end of this village".

"I see", Neji replied thoughtfully, "We'll report this back to Gai-sensei later today, but let's keep talking to these people".

Tenten nodded in agreement.

* * *

Lacking greatly in both poise and self-awareness, Gai and Lee marched down the streets of the Hidden Village of the Mist, grinning to each other and to the people around them. They paused at various shops and chatted with the workers there, but found little valuable information. Most of the time, they were just laughed at. 

When Gai finally declared that it was futile for them to try anymore, Lee suggested they take a break. They had neared the forest at the edge of the village and both shinobi were quite tired. It'd been a couple of hours since they'd eaten anything and Gai decided to buy some takeout to treat both him and his pupil.

With fresh cartons of food, Gai and Lee approached the forest and decided some time away from the town would be nice. They found a spot under the base of a large tree, near a clearing, and sat, devouring the food in front of them hungrily.

"I hope Neji and Tenten have had more luck than us", Lee announced as he gulped down some soup.

"I believe they have. I have faith in my pupils", Gai replied proudly.

"Gai-sensei! I am also your pupil, yet I have failed to find any information today! I am sorry!" Lee apologized, bowing his head.

"That is fine, Lee, you tried very hard today!"

"No, Gai-sensei, I must find information! If I do not find information today, I shall not sleep tonight!"

"No, Lee, you will have another chance tomorrow! Do not give up!"

"Thank you, Gai-sensei!"

"Oh, Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!'

"Lee!"

"Gai-sen- hey, do you hear that noise?" Lee's voice suddenly died into a hush as he whipped his head around suspiciously.

"There is someone approaching us", Gai replied in a whisper.

They shrunk into the shadows of the tree and watched cautiously as several men approached, unaware of the two hidden shinobi. They were roaring with laughter, heavily drunk, stumbling against each other as they made their way deeper into the forest. Gai and Lee gave each other an incredulous look, then followed.

They were led to a small hut that was well hidden among the trees. Two shinobi guarded the surrounding area, and Gai was sure that there were more guards hidden. He motioned for Lee to follow his lead and stumbled out into the clearing where the guards could see them. Gai walked with a drunken gait, acting his civilian part out perfectly. Lee did the same and stumbled after his sensei, taking awkward steps.

The guards eyed them suspiciously as they neared the hut, then hurried forward. "What are you two doing here?!" they demanded, drawing out weapons. Gai looked at the one who spoke with a lazy eye and gave him a lopsided grin.

"I'm visiting grandma", he slurred, acting as drunk as he could. Lee bobbed his head up and down in agreement, also trying to act drunk.

"They're just drunkards, useless", one guard hissed to the other.

"Well, you're grandma's that way", the second guard decided to humor them and pointed to a dense part of the forest. Gai could tell that they were trying to lead him away, and he quickly began sorting through ideas in his head.

But, Lee got there first. "No! Grandma's in there!" he argued in a drunken voice, raising a finger to point sloppily at the hut. The guards exchanged looks. Their orders were to keep all civilians away, but not to hurt any of them.

"No, no, she moved", the guard replied.

"No, she didn't move yet", Gai joined in on the game and tried to push his way past the guards, but was careful not to use too much strength.

"She's not here!"

Gai could tell the guards were becoming annoyed and decided it was time for a new approach. "Well then", he continued in a slurred voice, "could you take us to where she is?"

The guards exchanged looks again and one of them stepped forward, grabbing Gai and Lee each by the arm and dragging them away from the hut. Along the way, Lee flopped to the floor, facedown, and laid there.

"What's wrong with him?" the guard let go of Gai and bent down to examine the younger of the two strangers. Taking this opportunity, Gai landed a rough kick to the guard's head, knocking him out in one smooth move.

Lee quickly jumped up and they sped back to the hut, attacking the other guard and knocking him out without a sound. They slipped, unnoticed, into the hut where the drunken men from before had disappeared into and Lee had to bite back a gasp as they took in the insides of the place.

It was much larger than it looked from outside. The middle of the room contained a small trapdoor and Gai instinctively knew it led underground. Judging from the number of men and guards, he expected the underground portion of the room to be quite large and knew that there was no way he and Lee could go in there alone.

"Lee", he spoke quietly to his student, "We need to head back. It's nearing nighttime and we need to meet up with Neji and Tenten".

"But, Gai-sensei, we have found the secret hideout of the enemies!" Lee protested in a whisper.

"No, we cannot be sure. And, there are too many of them right now and I am sure the two shinobi we knocked out are not the only ones guarding this place. We have to go".

They slipped out as quietly as they had entered and sped back to town, quickly rearranging their features into calm, peaceful ones as they neared the center of the village, where there inn was located. Without drawing attention to themselves, Gai and Lee hurried to Neji and Tenten's room and knocked urgently on the door, pushing their way inside once it opened.

"What happened?" Tenten asked curiously, approaching her teammate and sensei.

"We may have found a lead", Gai said seriously. He proceeded to explain what he and Lee had found and noticed that when they mentioned the forest on the western end of town, both Neji and Tenten's eyes suddenly lit up, as if they understood something.

"We heard a rumor that there was some suspicious activity going on in the area", Neji answered Gai's questioning look, "but your story just confirmed it".

"We still cannot rush in without thinking it through", Gai stated, looking quite thoughtful.

"Part of our mission was to discover the motivations behind these assassinations", Lee reminded them.

"So, does that mean we're supposed to spy on them or something?" Tenten raised an eyebrow. This wasn't anything like the shinobi work she was used to having to do.

"Something like that", Neji shrugged in reply as Gai continued to explain what their next step was. They were to split into two groups again the next morning and travel to the same destination, though at different times to avoid suspicion.

Lee and Gai would stay on one side of the hut and attempt to gather information from the actual place, while Neji and Tenten were to follow anyone who came out. Their plan was discussed and finalized, and, with nothing better to do, a good night's rest was decided on.

* * *

Her back was pressed tightly against a tree, the wooden bark imprinting itself into her skin. She breathed as quietly as she could, while trying to balance herself on the thin branch below her. A small bead of perspiration rolled down her forehead and she resisted the urge to wipe it away. If she lifted her hand to do so, she would fall. 

One fist was clenched tightly around a branch beside her, the only thing that supported her balance at this moment. The other was wrapped around the wrist of her teammate and served as the only source of balance for him, who was on the branch beside her.

Together, they were pretty much cramped into the leafiest portion of a tree, hoping to conceal themselves as they watched the two men who had emerged from the door of the hut travel down the dirt path and towards town.

The weather seemed to be working against them today. The wind was strong, but it blew in the wrong direction, so that if the men had been correctly trained, they would have caught the scent of the two shinobi hidden in the trees. The air was also rather damp, a characteristic of the climate in the Mist Village. This made the ground muddier than they were used to, making it harder to run. They would have to rely on the trees as their way of traveling. But, as bad luck would have it, the trees in this area of the forest had very few leaves and it was difficult to conceal anyone among them.

Still, despite the circumstances, both Neji and Tenten were determined to succeed in their mission. With watchful eyes, they followed the two men down the lone path in the forest, keeping a safe distance. When the buildings of the village came into sight, Neji halted and motioned for Tenten to do the same. Normally, it would have been easier to follow these men once they were in the village, since the area would be more crowded, but it was too early and most of the village was still asleep.

"We have to be extra careful", Neji whispered, leaping off the trees and landing soundlessly on his feet. Tenten did the same behind him and nodded, her eyes looking ahead, at the men in front of them. They eventually made their way into town Tenten grimaced as they saw the two men walk into a building that was labeled as a bar.

"Great", she muttered.

"We have to follow them", Neji replied.

"But don't you think it'll be a bit obvious?" Tenten pointed out.

"We don't know", he answered seriously.

Tenten huffed to herself, then followed her teammate and entered the door, stepping into a dark room lit dimly with a few candles in the corner. It was rather easy for her to see everything, even in the dark setting, because her eyes were trained to do so, but Neji, without his byakugan, could only see as well as a normal person.

Thus, he was able to quickly catch her mistake as Tenten moved all too flawlessly about the room. "You're not supposed to be able to see so well", he hissed, dragging her back a little.

"What?" she was confused at first, wondering what he was talking about. Was she following them too closely?

"Observe the way they move, Tenten. These men obviously pride themselves in being the elite of the elite in this village. They aren't aware of the skills of a shinobi, so if you show that you're able to see better than they are in this dim light, they'll be suspicious".

"Right", she muttered, slowing her steps.

"C'mon, this way", Neji urged her toward a dark corner of the bar and they sat, inconspicuously, hidden against the black walls. It was early morning, a rather strange time for people to be in the bar, but to the two shinobi's surprise, there were actually quite a few people in there.

"This is a strange town", Tenten commented under her breath. Neji nodded in reply, but kept his eyes focused on the two men they had been following. He watched as they approached the bartender and began speaking in low tones.

Despite the relative noisiness of the surrounding area and the soft voices the men used, Neji and Tenten could clearly hear every word they spoke. They were shinobi, after all.

"I don't understand what they're talking about", Tenten murmured after listening for a while, "there's no desert in this area- it's surrounded by water".

"They must have an operating base somewhere else", Neji replied, "This could be bigger than we thought".

"Maybe we should report back to Gai-sensei. Do you think he'd want to listen to this?"

"There's not enough time. They look like they're leaving", Neji stood up in one swift movement and Tenten hurried after him. They slipped out of the bar behind the men and continued to follow them. By now, the village had woken up and the streets were littered with people, making it much easier to hide themselves.

They approached an old, stone building in a remote area of the village and Neji quickly dragged Tenten behind a tree as one of the two men turned and looked around suspiciously.

"What's wrong?" the other man had a gruff voice. He, too, turned to look around.

"Just thought I heard something", the first man shrugged, then continued walking. His partner did the same.

"Sorry", Tenten managed to squeak as Neji let go of her and they continued to trail the two men.

Neji just shrugged nonchalantly and motioned for her to hurry up. They crept towards the entrance of this building and held their breath as one of the two men pushed open the door. When the two men had entered, Neji and Tenten quickly slipped in as the door was about to close.

The slid into a corner, then turned to see what was in the building. Neither was ready for the sight that met them.

* * *

wooo cliffy! haha. anyways, I would very much like to thank reviewers- whitephoenix13, Takky-san, Aireonna, Dark-Compassion, SmallButPowerful, ChristinaAngel- It's not exactly ShikaIno or ShikaTema; it's just sort of following the ambiguous pairings that exist in the actual Naruto manga, Kratos Wilder, Trelunas- I described Tenten's outfit just for you- but she isn't wearing it in this chapter; she's just trying to tear it apart. XD  



	19. Chapter 18

AGH Long time no update. Sorry! I thought that after college apps, things would cool down and I'd have more time to write, but NO, now there are scholarships to apply for. It's the same process all over again!

On a happier note…I've got 100 reviews!!! WOOT!! Thanks so much everyone!

To Mako.Ten- I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to, but I think you might be talking about the mission with Tenten, Sakura, and Lee. That happened _after_ the first set of Chunnin exams, during which both Sakura and Lee became Chunnin. I hope that clears things up.

* * *

Chapter 18

Gai and Lee spent the rest of the morning scouting out the area around the small cabin in the forest but, sadly, nothing happened. Their patience was wearing thin as they waited restlessly amongst the bushes, occasionally give each other a glance that fully expressed their boredom, despite their attempts to stay alert.

Finally, when the sun reached its highest peak in the sky, the two shinobi nodded at each other once, then quickly shifted positions so that they could enter the cabin. Gai nodded his head towards the door and Lee jumped out, hurriedly opened the door, and slipped into the cabin. Gai followed immediately behind him, bumping into his pupil so that they fell to the floor in a comical heap.

"There is no one in here, Gai-sensei", Lee mumbled into the hard, wooden floor as he attempted to lift his head.

"You are right, Lee. It seems that all the men have left the cabin already".

"Then what are we to do next?" Lee looked to his sensei for directions.

"We will take advantage of this opportunity and see what we can find by looking through this cabin", Gai decided.

"Yes, sir!" Lee pumped a fist into the air.

"Then, we shall begin!"

They quickly shuffled through all the items in the cabin, most of which were simple things for daily use. But, as they neared the trapdoor that led to something underground, both Gai and Lee tensed. A blanket of seriousness came over them and they carefully drew open the door, to find a sea of blackness underneath them.

"Is there no light?" Lee asked curiously.

"No, Lee, we must endure the darkness. Our eyes will adjust".

The pair made their way down the stairs and found themselves in a dark room. As their eyes slowly got used to the dark, they saw that the place was very different from what they'd expected. Instead of high-tech headquarters or something very assassin-related, the room consisted simply of more living space. Beds, couches, tables. Food was scattered in several places, and a few weapons were lying idly on the floor.

"Gai-sensei. There is nothing here", Lee announced.

"I know, Lee, we have been misled". Gai sighed.

"Then it is time to meet up with Neji and Tenten, is it not, Gai-sensei?"

"Yes, Lee, it is time to meet up with the other members of our team. Let us leave now".

* * *

A circle of men who were obviously assassins closed in on the two shinobi as the door slammed shut behind them. They had creepy grins on their faces and various weapons in their hands. Some looked more menacing than others, but in general, they were all pretty darn gross. 

"I guess we picked the wrong time to walk in, huh?" Tenten laughed nervously as she took another back step. Her back collided with Neji's and she instinctively reached down to grab a weapon, only to remember that the majority of her shinobi equipment was back at the inn.

"We can take them", Neji replied confidently, easily dodging a large axe that was swung at him. He ducked, found an opening, and forced two fingers to sink into the stomach of the man who tried to attack him, rendering him unable to move in just a second.

Tenten jumped out of the way as a crudely designed sword came flying at her. She landed smoothly behind her attacker and struck her elbow against his back at a strategic angle, so that he doubled over as the pain spread through his spinal chord.

She picked up the sword he'd dropped and looked at it, a slightly disgusted look on her face. Out of all the weapons she could handle, a sword was not one of them. She had some exposure to this weapon, but this extremely primitive looking one was pretty much useless to her. She definitely missed having her weapons and scrolls.

"Tenten, move!"

Tenten ducked just in time to avoid a flying body; Neji had apparently begun a round of his kaiten and the force of his chakra was tossing bodies all over the place. Still, there were more assassins than they had expected, and with Neji busy on the other side of the room, Tenten found herself being closed in by several men who were especially messed-up looking.

"Hey, little lady", the tallest one in the center smiled a wide grin as he toyed with the axe in his hands.

Tenten rolled her eyes at the comment and her hands automatically reached down towards her legs, only to realize, once again, that she'd forgotten she didn't have the weapons she needed.The men laughed at her actions, encircling her and throwing mocking phrase at her.

A small amount of panic began spreading through her, when she realized that she was pretty much defenseless without her weapons. It was a fact that shinobi had to learn taijutsu, but that had never been her strong point, as she'd always expected to rely on her weapons. Still, at a time like this, she knew that even the most basic taijutsu she'd learned would have to be of some use.

She crouched into a defensive stance and quickly surveyed her surroundings, noticing an opening near one of the men on the left. Without warning, she swung out a leg and knocked him to his feet in one clean, decisive blow. The initial shock of the other assassins quickly wore off and they approached her even faster, weapons outstretched.

And thus, Tenten found herself engaged in a blurred battle of blunt weapons and weak taijutsu. She wasn't completely aware of what she was doing; only that she had to avoid all things that could hurt her, and somehow manage to hit the enemies at the same time. Needless to say, it wasn't something she was cut out to do. She eventually found herself backed into a wall, the only thing in her line of vision a large, silver weapon that she couldn't really recognize or name.

It came closer, closer…

Her eyes shut and she did the only thing she could think of doing- duck. Tenten slid to the floor as she felt the impact of the weapon on the area of the wall immediately above her head. A second later, there was a rush of air around her and the wall she was backed into collapsed, allowing the sunlight to rush into the room.

She meagerly opened her eyes to see light colored cloth hanging in front of her. Her eyes adjusted and she backed away slightly, realizing that the figure in front of her was Neji, who'd just destroyed half the room with his kaiten.

"Get up", he told her quietly, sensing that a few assassins were coming from behind. He had grabbed a dropped weapon and handed it to her, trusting that she could quickly pick up on how to use it.

Tenten obeyed and jumped to her feet, grasping the foreign weapon in her hands. She ran her fingers along the handle and observed that it probably wasn't crafted very well. Still, it was the only option she had. Footsteps sounded behind her and Tenten whirled around, slamming the weapon into the enemy behind her. She heard an "oomph" and turned away, satisfied.

Neji had left her side during this time and was finishing off the last of the assassins, leaving her to clear the area around her. With a weapon handy, Tenten found that it really wasn't too hard to defeat these people. They were trained in the art of killing, but not anywhere near the level that shinobi were trained to be at. Thus, it wasn't really much of a match, even though they were greatly outnumbered.

When the group of men had all been rounded up and tied in one corner, Neji paused to survey the area. He studied that damage they'd made, then shrugged. He was about the approach the group of men to question them, when a loud yell sounded from beside him. Both he and Tenten turned to see Gai and Lee stride into the room, glancing around proudly at the progress of their teammates.

"I see you have captured the assassins!" Gai announced.

"Er…" Tenten looked at him awkwardly.

"We must begin the questioning", Lee decided as he stepped forward. Neji took a step back, allowing Gai and Lee to interrogate their prisoners. He really didn't mind. Personally, he didn't prefer to talk too much to these people. Tenten followed his lead and faded into the background, standing next to him as they watched Gai and Lee poke and prod at the group of men, demanding answers from them.

"That was horrible", Tenten commented after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't do _anything. _It's like I'm useless without weapons", she grumbled.

"But that's because you're highly skilled in weapons", Neji pointed out.

She could tell he was just trying to make her feel better, "I know, but…"

"But that's a liability for you, isn't it?"

Tenten nodded. "I just wish… I mean, you can fight with or without weapons, and you do so well at both".

"You want to learn?"

"I only know the basics of taijutsu, but you and Lee, you guys are…"

"You could be too", Neji smiled a little, giving her an encouraging look.

Tenten grinned in response and they simultaneously turned their heads back to watch Gai and Lee forcing answers out of the group of men. It was quite a funny scene, really, to watch the two shinobi jump around, raising their voices at times to get answers out of the men.

When there was nothing left to ask, Gai and Lee turned towards their two teammates and announced that they were finished. Tenten looked at them and sighed in relief.

"What are we going to do with them?" Neji motioned to the men, who were still on the floor. A few were trying to get out, but had no chance.

"We will turn them in, then report the first part of our mission to the Hokage", Gai decided.

The rest of the group agreed.

* * *

In the dusty outskirts of the Hidden Village of the Sand, hidden in a small hut that was near invisible, as most of it was underground, a messenger hawk landed smoothly on the grainy floor and pecked at a trap door with its beak. A moment later, a rough arm reached out and pulled the small, rolled up piece of paper from the bird and shut the door, allowing the bird to return to its home. 

"The men stationed at the Mist have all been captured".

"All?"

"It says 'all'"

"Inform the leader".

"Right".

The old man was furious, almost falling out of his chair in anger as the messenger brought him the news.

"_All_ of them?"

"That's what it said, sir".

"There are a few… who… I still do not trust completely. For them to be captured…" he trailed off, gripping the arms of his chair tightly as he sighed.

"What are you orders, sir?"

"Find those who captured them. They must be shinobi, then. For none other than well trained shinobi can capture my men".

"Yes, sir".

The door was shut, leaving the old man in darkness.

* * *

Tenten was sitting idly on the bed, waiting for Neji to finish grabbing all their supplies. Their next destination was the Sand, where the main operating base of the group of assassins was said to be. According to Gai, who had extracted the information out of the men, the base was somewhere near the village, but not exactly in it. 

"When are we leaving?" Tenten asked.

"Soon".

"But we have to wait for Gai-sensei and Lee to get ready, don't we?"

"Why, what do you have in mind?" Neji looked up suspiciously.

"I know we're on a mission, but we have spare time. Maybe… maybe you could teach me something right now?"

Neji sighed and looked at her, then spoke as if he were dealing with a small child. "Fine. We'll go outside for a bit, but don't get carried away".

Tenten jumped eagerly off the bed and followed her teammate out. They made their way through the streets of the village and approached an area of forest that Neji had observed earlier. It was a nice place, away from the public eye, but not too far off that there was any sort of danger involved.

"You already know the basics of taijutsu", Neji began, "we all do. What your problem is, is that you rely so much on weapons that you haven't worked on developing skills. These skills are enhanced through jutsus that… well, there's a bit of a problem".

"What?"

"I can't really teach you much of what _I_ use, because the byakugan is needed for a lot of my jutsus. I suppose it's easier for us to spar and from there, I can see what you need to work on".

"Ok", Tenten readily complied.

They moved into taijutsu stances, standing across from each other.

"Go!"

* * *

Gai and Lee stood outside the door to their inn, bags packed and slung over their shoulders. They walked down to the lobby to check out, fully expecting to see Tenten and Neji waiting for them. There was not much time to spare. 

When they realized that Tenten and Neji had not even checked out, their first reaction was that something was wrong. Lee was sent to rush upstairs to their teammates' room, but there was no one there. He used the spare key and cracked the door open; both Neji and Tenten's belongings were packed, sitting in a corner of the room, waiting patiently for their owners.

"But where are they?" Lee wondered to himself as he dragged the bags downstairs, back to Gai-sensei.

"They are not present?" Gai raised one thick eyebrow in question.

"No, Gai-sensei, they are not".

"I do not believe they are in this building any longer", Gai decided, "let us go search for them in the village".

"Yes, Gai-sensei!"

They each grabbed one of the packs and set out, wandering aimlessly among the village and keeping both eyes out for their teammates. The time ticked away and they had no luck. There was no way Neji would keep anyone waiting- he was extremely prompt, although the same couldn't be said for Tenten.

"Maybe something happened to them", Lee suggested, his eyes growing wider (if possible) as he looked around.

"That is one possibility, but we must keep searching", Gai replied.

After an hour or so, they found themselves nearing the forest they'd been at earlier, although it was a part of the forest rather far from the cabin where they'd believed the assassins had been in. Lee saw it first- a scrap of pink near the trunk of a tree, and a thin strand of brown hair beside it.

His trained shinobi eyes easily picked up the clues and he pointed it out to his sensei, who deducted that it had to belong to Tenten.

"She must be in trouble!" Lee gasped, hurriedly looking around him.

"No, we do not know what has happened yet", Gai seemed more tense, but still managed to keep a calm face.

They wandered warily through the forest, until both shinobi could hear the distinct sounds of a taijutsu battle not too far from where they stood. Gai gave his student a nod and they hurried forward, moving at a rapid speed while keeping silent.

The sight that met them brought a mixture of emotions. Relief that their two teammates were safe, annoyance that they'd kept them waiting, confusion as to what the heck they were doing out here, and amusement at their current state.

Neji had decided not to use his byakugan in their spar, and, without the boost that came with being a Hyuuga, he and Tenten were on very similar levels. They'd done hand-to-hand combat, using absolutely no weapons. As of now, both shinobi were worn out from continuous fighting, couching on the forest floor and clutching their sides, while breathing heavily.

A corner of Tenten's shirt was ripped and several bruises decorated her arm. Her hair had come loose, but there was a satisfied smirk on her face as she looked across the field at her teammate. Neji didn't look like he was in top-condition either. Although he wasn't as messed up as Tenten, his breathing was staggered and he had a couple bruises in random places.

"What are you guys doing here?" Gai asked, stepping forward. Neji looked up at him, a look of confusion, followed by realization, then frustration crossing his features. _How could they have missed the time?_

Tenten caught her teammate's expression and she suddenly understood that they'd forgotten to keep track of when they were to return to the inn. "Gai-sensei!" she babbled, "I'm so sorry! It was all my idea- I wanted to learn a few things about tai-jutsu, but we ended up spending so much time out here and now we're going to be behind on our way to the Sand Villag-"

Neji had, during this time, covered the distance between them and clamped a hand over Tenten's mouth, shutting her up. "We apologize", he said simply, looking up at Gai-sensei, "let's not waste anymore time".

Gai nodded seriously. "We brought your belongings. Here".

Neji grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulders, straightening up as he began walking at a brisk pace beside Lee, leaving Tenten standing where she was, looking dumbfounded. She quickly hugged her pack to her chest and ran after them. There was surprise and a small bit of hurt at the way Neji had acted just now, and although she didn't wanted to "girl-ify" herself by overanalyzing, she couldn't help but wonder why… no, _how_ Neji could be so helpful one moment, even willing to spar with her, then suddenly become stone-cold and focused on the mission.

She knew that, as shinobi, they were all supposed to do that, but the way Neji did it made him seem inhuman. And, was he mad at her for delaying him? For delaying all of them? It _had_ been her idea to go out and learn something, but he hadn't exactly kept track of the time either, had he? She wracked her brains, trying to think of an answer while following her team out onto the docks, and back into the tiny boats that would lead them out of the mist village.

The same old man was steering their boat and Tenten shuddered as she looked at his wandering gaze. _Disgusting._ As if he'd read her mind, Neji stepped closer to Tenten and gave her an inconspicuous nudge, urging her to hurry into the boat so she could be at the very edge. She didn't complain.

Still, as the waves in the water moved the boat towards the other side and the old man rambled about the weather, Tenten couldn't help but wonder what was going through Neji's mind. He would seem annoyed with her for one moment, then take extra precautions to keep her safe the next. What was he thinking? Or, was he not thinking at all, and just acting on pure instincts?

_That could be it_, Tenten thought. Maybe his actions just meant his priority was to complete the mission, and that to do so, he had to look out for his teammates. But, as rational and Neji-like that explanation was, Tenten felt like there was more. There had to be more. She knew that one of her flaws was to expect the best out of everyone, of being overly optimistic, but this just _felt_ different.

There was no more time to decide what it really was, because the boat had reached the other side of the water and Neji was ushering her out, while keeping an eye on the grinning old man. _Pervert_.

They walked off the dock and headed into the forest on this side of the river, moving in a direction towards the Sand Village. As they walked, Gai explained that the assassins they'd caught at the Mist were being held captive in the village at the time, and that a squad had been dispatched from Konoha to go to the Mist Village to interrogate them.

That part of the mission was over with, but there was more. And this time, it would be much harder.

* * *

Erm... well, it wasn't as long as I'd have wanted it to be... but, hey, at least it's up, right? Review please! More reviews faster updates! 


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

This mission is sounding like a really bad filler. Please bear with me- this mission will be over by the end of the chapter.

MANY THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS AND PEOPLE WHO PUT ME ON THEIR ALERT LIST. Sorry for the lack of update.

* * *

Chapter 19

A knock sounded at the door and a moment later, two messengers walked in, carrying a scroll that just _looked_ like it had extremely important information on it. One of them set it on the desk, then stepped back, giving the shinobi at the desk a small nod.

"This is a message from Team Gai of Konoha, Kazekage-sama".

"I see, thank you".

The scroll flew open in a fluid motion and the Kazekage began reading its contents, his features twisting into a frown as the information sunk in. "Here… in _our_ village?" he murmured to himself.

"Gaara, what is it?" A female voice spoke up beside the Kazekage. The speaker leaned over her brother shoulder to peek at the writing, her own eyebrows knotting into a frown as she read the scroll.

"Temari, you and Kankuro are to go meet Team Gai at the entrance of the village", the Kazekage spoke seriously, turning his head slightly to look at the kunoichi beside him. She returned his serious gaze and nodded, then picked up the fan she'd set against the wall earlier, and walked out the door.

"Kazekage-sama, you haven't told us what's in the message", one of the advisers spoke up from across the room.

Gaara sighed, then crossed his hands and explained, "Konoha was asked to aid the Mist Village in uncovering the assassins that were in their village, but it turns out, there was much more to the story. This group of assassins, although not anywhere as skilled as shinobi, is said to be extremely well organized and large in numbers. And, their base is in an area outside our village".

"So our village is now taking a part in this… mission, right?"

"Yes. I sent Temari and Kankuro to meet the squad from Konoha. They know of several places that are likely to serve as a base for a large organization".

"I see". The adviser who had been speaking seemed to be momentarily satisfied with the answers.

* * *

Temari was running, well, no, not exactly running, but she was hurrying down the hall in search of her brother, who seemed to have disappeared to nowhere. "C'mon, Kankuro, where are you?" she muttered to herself, frustrated. She had already checked the rooms that he would very likely be in- all the rooms that held tools for his puppets, all the medical wings, and even his private quarters. But he was nowhere to be found.

"Must have gone out or something", Temari thought. She rounded the corner quickly, almost not seeing the group of shinobi walking at a brisk pace towards her. She managed to stop herself before she collided with a walking green jumpsuit and, when she looked up, she saw that it was the team from Konoha.

"You must be Gai", she said, nodding at the tallest of the four. Gai nodded in response and looked at the kunoichi seriously.

"Are there any orders for us?" he asked.

"Come with me", Temari answered immediately, "Kankuro was supposed to be with us as well, but I can't find him, so I'll explain the situation to you guys first. This way". She led the team to a long corridor and showed them their room.

When they were inside, Temari lowered her voice and said, "Our files tell us that there ware several locations near this village that could possibly serve as a headquarters for the organization you're tracking down. I've narrowed it down to three, which is where you four, my brother, and I come in. We split into teams of two and communicated via these".

She held up small ear pieces and handed one to each of the members. "Kankuro and I will each take one of you", she pointed to Gai and Lee, "and you two will be a team. The byakugan should allow you to easily find the place I tell you about". She nodded to Neji and Tenten.

"So, where's Kankuro?" Lee asked.

Temari sighed tiredly and explained that she would go find him, then ordered the rest of the shinobi to stay put in the room until they were called on. She left, closing the door behind her.

"This is getting complicated", Gai muttered as he sat down, folding himself into a thinking position. Neji walked over to the window and looked out, Tenten followed him. She figured that the mission would soon be the only thing on everyone's mind, so she had to take the opportunity now to knock some answers out of Neji.

"Are you mad at me?" she questioned tentatively as she approached him, resting a hand on the windowsill.

"No".

"I deviated from the mission for selfish purposes", she continued.

"Happens to everyone".

Tenten was at a loss for words. Neji, the _normal_ Neji, would be furious at her for not focusing on the mission. He was _always _the one who got mad at people for goofing off, for not being serious. What the heck happened to him?

"Who are you and what have you done with Neji?" Tenten demanded, crossing her arms as she tried to glare at him.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Neji's mouth and he turned slightly to face her. There was amusement in his eyes as he looked at her angry form. "It wasn't your fault", he replied quietly, "we both lost track of the time".

"Yeah, but-"

"Besides, the only reason we were out there was because you wanted to improve. I can't blame you for that", he reasoned.

"Ugh". Tenten rubbed her head, then leaned over the windowsill, looking out at whatever Neji had been staring at before.

"You're still not focused", he said after a moment of silence. She looked up at him, confused. "You keep thinking about the Chunnin exams, about your own abilities. We're on a mission".

"Yeah, but I can think about the mission later, can't I?"

Neji sighed heavily, then turned to face his teammate, as if talking to a child, "Part of strength is concentration. If you're not focused on what you're doing, then how can you do a good job?"

"I _am_ focused!"

"Friends, why are we arguing?" Lee's voice reminded them that they were not alone, and the two shinobi turned to sheepishly look at their sensei and third teammate. Gai and Lee were sitting side by side on the floor, cross-legged, looking confused about the argument.

"Nevermind", Tenten huffed and stormed away from the window. Leave it to Neji to ruin anyone's mood. Sheesh.

The door popped open and Temari stepped inside again, just in time to save the group from an awkward, angry silence. Kankuro was trailing after her, looking apologetic. "We're going now".

Everyone jumped up and hurried out the door, passing smoothly down the flight of stairs and through the village streets, until they were at the main entrance. Temari pulled out a scroll that contained a simple map and quickly explained where each location was.

"Remember, this is only a scouting mission. After we find any signs of suspicious activity, we report back". She then set off with Gai, leaving Lee and Kankuro in a team. Neji looked at Tenten, then quickly began walking, so that she had to hurry to catch up with him.

They approached the place they were assigned to check out, and almost immediately, an air of suspicion fell around the tiny shack standing idly on the sandy, desert floor.

"It's extremely small to be any kind of headquarters", Tenten whispered.

"Shhh. That's just what it looks like", Neji had turned his byakugan on and he was carefully surveying the structure of the shack. His gaze shifted slowly to the floor and Tenten watched as his eyes grew wide in surprise.

"What? What is it?" she almost panicked.

"Go! Move, move, move!" Neji reached out an armed and shoved Tenten to one side, then, when her body still refused to move, he grabbed her by the arms and quickly leaped into the air, landing a good several meters from the shack. As he did so, an explosion erupted from the area they'd been standing on just a second ago.

"It's an entire underground labyrinth!" Neji was speaking frantically into the small device in his ear, but he could only hear static. Frustrated, he tossed the small piece of technology onto the floor, then turned to Tenten, who had several weapons drawn and was standing in a defensive position.

"What did you see?" she asked.

"Their headquarters... it's _huge_", Neji replied, "Most of the people in there have very low chakra levels- they're not shinobi. But, then, a huge ball of chakra was shooting at us from under the ground. These explosions are chakra filled. They're not just normal explosives".

"That means they've hired shinobi", Tenten thought aloud, "they knew about us before we got here. We've got to go tell Temari and them!"

"No! If they know we're here, it does no one any good to lead them to the others. And, we don't have the time".

Immediately after the words left his mouth, Neji heard a second explosion come from behind him, and he quickly shifted his stance.

"So we're fighting?" Tenten asked incredulously.

"Yes".

"But that's –"

"Most of them aren't shinobi, Tenten. We can take them". Neji's stubbornness had reached an all new level and Tenten groaned. She had no choice but to follow him; she couldn't exactly just leave him there.

The first batch of men sent out at them was simply assassins wielding scary-looking weapons. Scary-_looking, _but not scary. Tenten scoffed as she grabbed two kunai and tossed them out in front of her. Her aim was deadly.

"See? Easy", Neji smirked. Tenten looked at the two unconscious bodies on the floor and smile a little.

"Yeah", she finally agreed.

It took them all of five minutes to take out the groups of men that were sent at them, but even after they were the only two standing, it was still pretty apparent that it hadn't ended.

"They're waiting for us", Tenten mumbled, squinting at the shack.

"Yeah", Neji replied. He began walking cautiously towards the shack and Tenten followed, weapons still drawn.

The inside of the shack didn't look like much, except for one, very high tech trap door on the ground that stuck out like a sore thumb among the surroundings. It obviously led underground, to the large place Neji had seen. He pressed a palm against the door, closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed. "Interesting", he said quietly, "there's chakra running through these doors. It opens with chakra…I've never felt anything like it".

"Chakra?" Tenten echoed.

"Whoever's in charge… whoever's inside, is very powerful. Stay alert, Tenten". Neji shifted his fingers slightly, then slid his hand along the surface of the door, releasing chakra. His eyes were straining to see the fine details, the intricacies of the door. Finally, with a soft hiss, the door swung open.

Tenten instinctively took a step back as Neji moved himself in front of her, raising his arms in defense. The door revealed a dark corridor and nothing was visible on the other side. Neji began walking and Tenten followed, hoping her eyes would quickly adjust. Slowly, as they moved down the long hallway, shapes became visible. She could see that the path they traveled on gradually grew wider, until the passageway morphed into a room.

Along the way, they had met no resistance, and this only made them more suspicious. Neji paused to check the surroundings and was shocked to find there were absolutely no life forms in the place. Were all the chakras he'd seen earlier just in his head?

Surely, something dangerous was waiting for them at the end. Tenten drew in her breath as they stepped out into the open. They were in a dimly lit room. Two candles stood on opposite sides of the room and a chair was in the middle. A pair of eyes looked at them from the chair and a low voice spoke, "You have been responsible for the death of my men?"

"Assassins", Neji replied in a similar tone. Tenten was slightly thrown off by the emotionless tone in his voice.

"As am I", the voice continued. He was hinting at the fact that the two shinobi before him were about to die.

"We'll see", there was more confidence in Neji's voice; his eyes had adjusted more to the darkness and it was now quite obvious that the man sitting in the seat was rather old, hunched over, and supported by a cane. And, there were no other signs of chakra around them.

Without warning, a bright glow emitted from where the man sat and a moment later, both Neji and Tenten found a rush of energy being shot at them. It was pure chakra, and the enormous strength of it stunned Neji. With his eyes, he could see precisely what had happened, and while he knew he was in a dangerous situation, he couldn't help but marvel at the incredible abilities this opponent had.

This would be a challenge. He gathered chakra to the palm of his hands and burst forward with extra speed, jabbing two fingers against the man on the chair. He didn't flinch a bit as the chakra came in contact with him. Neji gasped and quickly retracted his hands. There was something about this man, something about his chakra, that seemed to deflect all chakra based attacks.

_He must be a master of chakra control_, Neji thought. And then it clicked- everyone believed this was a huge organization, that there were lots of assassins and people, but in reality, it had all been chakra clones of this one man. That would explain all the chakra signatures, weak, but great in number, that Neji had scouted out earlier.

So, master of chakra, huh? Well, that sucked. It pretty much rendered all of Neji's attacks useless. But, remembering that he had his teammate with him, Neji wondered how well the man would fare against weapons. He knew that the metallic kunais and shuriken could be deflected with chakra, but he also knew that Tenten was equipped with a lot more than just small toys.

He shot her a look out of the corner of his eye, and, catching his message, Tenten slipped out her weapons and dove into a series of attacks. As he'd suspected, most of the simpler weapons were deflected and fell uselessly to the floor in a clatter. However, as he watched the fight with his byakugan, straining to catch every detail, Neji noticed that when one of the larger weapons hit the chakra shield at a certain angle, it created a small dent in the defense.

He was definitely going to take advantage of this.

Tenten landed a few feet beside him and gave him a bewildered look. As far as she could see, nothing seemed to work.

"See the area right under his hand?" Neji whispered quickly. Tenten nodded, her eyes narrowing as she focused her vision on the area beneath the man's hands, where the chakra was the weakest. "Aim there, and do it quickly".

She followed his instructions, sending out a second round of weapons, most of which clattered to the floor again. But, Neji had succeeded in his goal. He'd found the weak spot in the man's defense and he was going to take advantage of it. He shot forward again, acting as if he was going to use the same attack he'd done before. His steps matched his previous attempt perfectly and the man easily fell into the trap, underestimating him and believing he was going to try the same thing.

But at the last second, Neji shifted the position of his hands and aimed for the weak spot he'd singled out, delivering a chakra filled blow to the area below the man's hands. For a split second, a crack in the chakra shield appeared, but the man quickly covered it up.

"I see…" Neji murmured to himself. Beside him, Tenten looked over curiously, but quickly shifter her eyes back to their opponent. She had several weapons drawn, waiting for Neji to give her some sort of command. But he seemed to have forgotten she was there. He shot forward again, this time with a different form, jabbing two fingers against the shield around the man.

His chakra cut cleanly through the man's defense, and Tenten unconsciously took a step back as a visible swirl of chakra surrounded the man, then vanished. Neji's eyes narrowed and the corner of his mouth played into a smirk. He moved so quickly that before she knew it, Tenten found herself looking at a strangled pile on the floor, with Neji strategically kneeling above the crumpled figure.

"Talk". Neji's commanding tone shocked Tenten momentarily, but she quickly caught herself. She watched as Neji drew answers out of the man, vaguely wondering where he'd gotten these interrogation skills. She knew she'd hate to be questioned by him. She watched the scene before her, but didn't really see anything. Her mind had wandered off, looking around the room in random places.

It was quite lucky, actually, that she did so, because her trained eyes caught something in the corner of the walls that looked extremely suspicious. A small red glow, something she couldn't' believe both of them had missed earlier. Had it always been there?

"Neji?" she tried to get his attention quietly.

He didn't seem to hear her.

A small whirring sound now caught Tenten's ear and she noticed it was coming from the same corner. Oh… _shit_. It had to be something bad.

"Neji!"

Neji looked in her direction, caught her bewildered eyes, and glanced up at the red glow. His byakugan quickly turned on and a moment later, Tenten felt something wrap protectively around her waist, her back against something warm, and the world around her explode into smoke.

When she opened her eyes again, the building around them was gone. And yes, even though they'd been underground, even the ground had blown up. There was a large crater where the old man's room had been. She was still in the safety of Neji's embrace and the first thought that crossed her mind was, _Who the hell do you think I am? I can save myself!_

Neji's other hand was holding tightly onto the man's collar; he'd dragged him out of the explosion as well, although not with nearly as much care.

"Thought you could just end us all, huh?" he asked smugly. Tenten slipped out of his grasp and looked at what was left of the explosion, then turned back to Neji. She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again when she caught sight of several figures, running towards them from a distance.

"It's Gai-sensei and the others", Neji murmured, as if reading her mind. Tenten nodded and waited beside Neji as they watched their teammate, sensei, Temari and Kankuro approach with worried face.

Upon seeing the blown up building, Temari stepped forward, demanding an explanation. She was slightly angry that they had done more than just scout, but Neji quieted her and promised to explain it all later. However, they had to first take care of the old man. Tenten was pretty out of it as she trailed along the group, her mind wasn't focused. Something didn't make sense here. She was hoping Neji would make it all clear later.

* * *

Later that afternoon, after the old man had been brought to the kazekage, Neji proceeded to explain everything he'd learn. Gaara sat at his desk, his two siblings standing on either side of him. The man was in a chair across the room, tied and watched by two guards. Team Gai stood off to the side, with Neji standing slightly closer to the kazekage.

He took a deep breath and began.

"Tenten and I were attacked by guards- not shinobi, just assassins, and it was rather obvious that they hadn't made much of an effort to defend themselves".

"What do you mean?" Temari cut in.

Neji looked at her momentarily, then explained, "They didn't seem like they were really guarding anything- a poor effort to defend themselves. Anyways, we soon found out it was because there really wasn't much to guard. There was just one person inside the house, and he wasn't really expecting to live much longer. Everything else we've seen- all the other people, were just parts of his chakra taking on human forms. And the explosion…he set something the moment he realized we would be going in there, so that we'd die along with him".

"But why?" Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"I had a short opportunity to question him", Neji continued, "and everything we've been chasing after fits. The ironic thing is, it was a lot simpler than we'd imagined. The assassinations in the mist were only carried out on the rich, simply because this man sought revenge. And, Tenten, if you remember, that lady we met at the dock, who said her son was assassinated even though he was poor- remember?"

Tenten nodded, urging him to continue.

"He knew too much about the plans, so they had to silence him".

"What were these 'plans'?" Temari asked again.

"The old man has a delusional mind and is extremely skilled in the art of chakra control. Using his abilities, he created a squad of assassins to exact revenge on the rich, simply because he felt cheated out of life", Neji's voice had become tired, as if he found the entire story unnecessary, "When we were in that room, he was babbling about revenge and injustice, and honestly, there wasn't much substance".

"So that was it?" Tenten asked after the group fell silent.

"Apparently", the disappointment in Neji's voice was obvious. In fact, the rest of their team was also rather disappointed by the lack of excitement in the mission. What they'd originally planned to be some great achievement had winded down to the capture of a delusional old man and his arm of wanna-be killers. Great.

"We can take care of the rest here", Gaara spoke up, giving Gai a nod. He returned the gesture, then turned to his team.

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow".

* * *

In all honesty, I really hated the last few chapters with the mission in it. It. Was. Crap. Well, now that this mission is over with (finally), updates will hopefully come out faster XD. To come in the next chapter…NejiTen fluff! Chunnin exams! Shika-Tema-Ino triangle stuff! And more!! WOOT!!


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Ugh… I messed up. I wrote this chapter once with the Chunnin exams in Konoha. Then, I realized it was supposed to be in the Sand Village this time, so I had to re-write it. But, no worries, it's all good now! XD

* * *

Temari had traveled to Konoha along with Team Gai, so that she could serve as a guide for the team of examiners and examinees who were to leave for the Sand the next day. Since the Chunnin exams were to be held in her village this year, and Temari was the representative for the Sand in such affairs, she had opted to travel to the Leaf to meet with the examiners befor departing.

Along the way, she didn't say much, and Team Gai didn't bother to do anything about it. As far as they were concerned, she was a nice person, tolerable, but not much more.

However, once the kunoichi set foot in Konoha, a new bubble of life seemed to burst from her. She was taken to see the Hokage at once and had an animated talk with Tsunade, reviewing the procedures for the exams. Then, at the Hokage's signal, Temari was brought to the Academy where she ran into an old friend.

"You again?" Shikamaru looked up from the pile of papers in front of him, lazily shifting his fingers through the stack. _Such troublesome procedures_…

"Well, it's not like I'm any happier to see you", Temari retorted, sticking her nose in the air. Shikamaru smirked at her reply and invited her to sit down, then began explaining what she was supposed to do with the stack of papers in front of them.

"You want _me_ to do this?" Temari looked at him, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it's part of the job", Shikamaru shrugged, sliding a stack of papers in front of her, "and we have to finish it before we leave tomorrow".

"Fine, fine".

They sat in silence, shifting through the papers and filling out the needed materials for each examinee. After a while, Shikamaru's head suddenly popped up and he groaned, "oh, man, forgot".

"What?" Temari didn't look up.

"You're here for the…".

"The Chunnin exams?" Temari stated the obvious.

"No, no. I mean, of course for that, but you're the representative from the Sand".

"Well, duh".

"Right, c'mon. I forgot". Shikamaru left his seat and Temari followed, giving the never-ending stack of papers on the table a quick glance. She was glad she didn't have to do those anymore.

They walked through the hallways until they reached a large room, lined with row after row of cabinets. Shikamaru maneuvered expertly thought room, found the right cabinet, retrieved a book from it, then handed it to Temari.

"Now what?" she looked at him, confused.

"This is your job as guide- a troublesome job, I have to admit- but you have to make sure that everyone listed in here leaves with us tomorrow".

Temari groaned and rolled her eyes.

Shikamaru smiled lightly and they exchanged a small laugh before exiting the room. As they passed by an open window, Temari looked longingly outside. The sun was at the center of the sky, signaling that it was noon. But really, they didn't need the sun to tell them that it was lunch time and that they were hungry.

"I know a good ramen place", Shikamaru laughed, thinking about the times when Naruto had dragged him there. Man, he missed that kid.

Temari gave him a funny look, then hmphed lightly and began walking alongside him. She was just glad they didn't have to return to the tedious paperwork again.

As they walked down one of the busier streets of Konoha, Temari began looking at the different restaurants, claiming that it was for future reference. "People can't live off of only ramen", she said. Shikamaru almost laughed aloud as the image of Naruto popped into his head again.

When they passed by the barbeque restaurant where their team always ate, Shikamaru stopped to smell the air, as was his habit. The delicious scent of the different flavors of meat greeted his nose and he smiled to himself. Temari watched him weirdly for a moment, then asked, "Hey, isn't that one of you teammates?"

Shikamaru lowered his head and looked into the restaurant, spotting Ino at a table with Chouji.

"Yeah", he tried to wave, but the two didn't seem to see him, "It's alright. Let's just go". His guess was that Ino was probably dishing out the latest on 'how to be a cooler guy' to Chouji, and he wasn't too interested in hearing what she had to say. After all, women were quite troublesome.

As the two continued down the streets, heading for Ichihara's Ramen, a figure looked up from inside the barbeque restaurant. She stared out the window for a while, then turned back to her companion.

"Chouji, did you just see Shikamaru walk by?"

"Huh?" Chouji looked up from his food and shook his head.

"Well, I thought I saw him. And he was with some girl too".

Chouji shrugged.

"See, if you listened to me, you could be out with a girl too!" she urged him.

Chouji shrugged again and took another bite. Ino was hard to understand- wasn't he out with _her_? And wasn't she a girl? Besides, he didn't want a real date; he wasn't interested in that yet.

"Are you listening to me?" Ino broke into his thoughts and Chouji snapped up his head.

"Huh?"

"I _said_, 'what do you think Shikamaru sees in that girl?'. You know, I'm not sure who it was, but I think it could have been that girl form the sand… what was her name?"

"Maybe she's mature", Chouji shrugged. A while earlier, Ino had just been telling him that girls liked guys who were more mature- so wouldn't it work the other way around too?

"More mature?" Ino echoed. _That does make sense_, she thought,_ maybe I should be more mature too_.

"You know, that was really insightful!" she beamed at Chouji, then grabbed her stuff in a hurry to get home. "Since you ate the most, you can pay, right? Thanks!"

Without another word, she rushed out the door. Chouji looked up slowly, then shrugged and dug into his food again. He just didn't understand girls.

Ino spent the rest of that afternoon at home, digging through her closet until she was able to come up with several new outfits. More "mature" outfits, as she liked to think of them. She set them aside and decided to choose one later. For now, she would deal with the rest of her appearance.

The remainder of that day was spent in front of the mirror, as she played with different hair styles. More mature, more _mature_, she kept thinking, running a brush along her shimmering blonde hair. This was a lot harder than she thought.

A couple hours later, Ino was ready. She stepped into the hall way and looked over herself in the large mirror, then smiled. She had exchanged her old outfit for a more sophisticated one- a sleeveless top with a high collar that showed her stomach, which was no longer adorned in bandages, a dark skirt with short, fishnet leggings underneath, fishnets for her elbows and knees, and of course, the ever-so-loved shinobi sandals.

Her hair had also lost some of its childish playfulness and was now slicked against her forehead, covering one eye. A thin clip held back the other side of her hair and the rest was still tied in a ponytail, although it was not nearly as bouncy as it had been before. Overall, she was satisfied. It was a new look, and people were bound to notice it.

* * *

That same night, not too far from Ino's house, a spar was going on in one of the training grounds. The sun had already set and the stars were beginning to make their entrance, but the two shinobi were still working hard.

Finally, one of the two yielded and quickly dodged a last kunai that was sent at him, then turned to his partner.

"You have to rest", he stated simply.

"Why? We still have time", the other protested between huffs of breath as she emerged from a tree, with a few leaves clinging to her hair.

"You'll wear yourself out".

"It doesn't matter. The first exam is written, remember?" She landed lightly on the ground, tucking a weapon behind her.

"Tenten, you can't keep training", there was an exasperated sigh following this comment.

"Geez", Tenten turned towards her teammate and gave him a glare, but it was too dark for him to see it. She sat down on the grass, then slowly lowered herself onto her back, gazing up at the stars. Behind her, Neji's footsteps crunched though the grass as he made his way around the perimeter of the training area, picking up all the weapons they'd used.

When he returned, he sat down beside the girl and looked up at the stars as well.

"Nervous?"

"Not really", she sucked at lying.

"Right". He sounded skeptical and she turned to look at him.

"Ok, maybe just a little. Or… a lot".

"About what?" he asked.

"Not passing. I don't want to stay a genin forever".

"A rank isn't everything. Sure, it's important, but it's not the only thing that measures your abilities".

"So if I don't pass this year…"

"If you don't pass, it doesn't mean you haven't grown since you became a genin. And it doesn't mean you won't become stronger".

"You know, this is the third time I'm taking the stupid thing", she grumbled.

"Which is a lot less than the average", Neji reminded her, "Even examinees who win the final matches are not always promoted to Chunnin".

"But, why? There has to be some… reason, or something!"

"The judging is based on skills, techniques, abilities, reaction, and thinking. It's not all about strength", Neji replied.

Tenten muttered something unintelligible in response.

"You remember the year that kid Shikamaru became a Chunnin, don't you?" Neji asked.

Tenten nodded stiffly.

"You remember his fight at the end? He lost- he gave up, actually, but he knew what he was doing".

"Yeah, yeah, I know", Tenten groaned."But you make it all sound so simple, Neji".

"Because it is", he said no more and she couldn't find the words or energy to argue back.

They sat under the starry sky, feeling the caress of the cool wind across their cheeks. Neji flopped onto his back beside Tenten, who stretched out her arms and closed her eyes so that she could better feel the cool night air. When it got too late to be outside any longer, Neji rolled onto his side and looked over at his teammate.

"Let's go", he murmured quietly.

She didn't respond and he had a slight suspicion that she was angry at him.

"Tenten? Let's go", he repeated.

Still no response.

"You can't be mad at me", he groaned, gently tugging at her sleeve in a very childish manner.

No response.

He grew worried and leaned closer, only to find that she'd fallen asleep. "See? I knew you'd exhaust yourself", he smirked slightly and thought for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Should he carry her home? Nah, that wasn't something he would do. And she'd probably freak too. Wake her up, then? But he didn't have the heart to.

He finally decided to just sit there and wait for her to wake up again, which, judging by the past days' events, wouldn't be until the sun rose once more. Oh well, he could deal with that.

* * *

When Shikamaru stepped out of his house the morning of the Chunnin exams, he was greeted by an unrecognizable girl, leaning against the railing beside his door.

"Hey", she said lightly, flipping her hair to one side.

Shikamaru paused, stared for a moment, then exclaimed, "Ino?!"

"I thought we could walk to the Academy together. Everyone's meeting there before you guys leave. You're one of the examiners, right?" she grinned.

"Y-yeah", he stammered, unable to stop staring. He couldn't figure out what she'd done, but she looked extremely different. She'd lost her childish flair and there was an air of elegance and mystery about her.

"I'll be at the Sand during the final matches. You won't be an examiner for that last exam, right? We can cheer for Chouji together", Ino suggested enthusiastically.

"Of course. I hope he makes it", Shikamaru turned towards her and gave her a rare, genuine smile, then motioned towards the street in front of them. They stepped away from the house and made their way down the streets, turning several corners before the Academy came into view.

There was a large group of people in front of the main doors. Several examiners in the dark green vests, just like the one Shikamaru had on, stood to the side, talking amongst themselves. Most of the people who'd gathered were there to see off the examinees- friends, family, and teachers.

While Shikamaru was pulled away by a senior examiner, Ino drifted into the crowd, looking for people she knew. She caught sight of Chouji and was about to head toward him to wish him luck, when someone tugged on her arm. She turned to see a head full of pink and smiled. Her new transformation, at least that's what she thought of it, had put her in a good mood, and she didn't even feel the need to insult her so-called rival today. "Sakura! Taking a day off from all the medic stuff?"

"Yeah, Tsunade-sama is here too, so I had a free day", Sakura grinned.

"Are you going to the Sand?" Ino asked.

"Not yet. I'm going with Tsunade-sama for the final matches".

"Same here. I'm going to wish Chouji good luck", Ino nodded towards the direction she was about to head and Sakura followed. They reached Chouji and both wished him luck. He thanked them between mouthfuls of chips, sending the two girls into a bought of laughter.

"Chouji!" A voice called.

Ino and Sakura looked up to see Shino walking towards them, his head bent low, sunglasses in place as always.

"We're on a team. You, me, and Tenten. Have you seen her?" he asked. Chouji shook his head.

Behind Shino, his two teammates stepped up and patted him on the back.

"We're all going to watch the final matches, so you better be in it", Kiba gave Shino a hard, friendly slap on the back.

"Yeah, we're going to cheer you on!" Hinata agreed.

"Oi, Hinata, why aren't you going?" Chouji wondered aloud. Kiba made a face, as if warning Chouji that it was the wrong topic to bring up, but it was too late.

"Oh, I talked to Kurenai-sensei and we decided that I should skip the exams this year and take it next year, so I have more time to train", Hinata didn't seem to mind answering the question and Kiba sighed in relief. He was actually surprised that Hinata wasn't too upset.

"Look, is that Tenten? I think you've got all your team now", Sakura squinted her eyes to look at something in the distance. Two figures walking side by side towards the academy grew larger, until they could be recognized as Neji and Tenten.

They were talking rapidly- almost an argument, and Tenten seemed to be fidgeting the whole time.

"Is she ok?" Ino wondered, tilting her head to one side. No one answered her, because no one knew the answer. As they approached, Neji seemed to say something that ultimately shut his teammate up. Tenten was quiet now, with a smile plastered on her face. She walked up to Chouji and Shino, gave them a big grin, and nodded, showing that she was ready.

"We're going to do great, you guys", she said. She was about to say something more, when a loud voice rang out from behind them.

"This gathering is most exciting!" Lee ran up to the group, and, if his arms had been long enough, he would have given them all a huge group hug. Well, it was good his arms were just normal, human length.

"We have to leave soon", Shikamaru had joined the group and was holding a clipboard, looking quite official despite the lazy expression on his face. Temari stood behind him, a clipboard identical to his in her hands. She was also carrying the book that listed all the members who were traveling with them.

"If you're leaving for the Village of the Sand, please gather over here", she announced. As examiners and various examinees began filing towards her, Tenten motioned for Chouji and Shino to go ahead, then turned back towards Neji.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be- " he stopped and looked worriedly at Tenten. This was completely unlike her. Recently, everything she'd done had been unlike her. Although there was still a faint trace of the strong-willed, spirited Tenten shining somewhere, most of her had become withdrawn, unsure, and somewhat… afraid?

She didn't say anything, but looked at Neji with a sad, longing stare. Had it been anyone else, he would have immediately brushed them off as weak and paid them no more attention. But this was different. _She_ was different. He knew what she was capable of and he knew how strong she normally was, which led him to think that maybe, just maybe, there really was something wrong.

"You'll be _fine_", he whispered, his eyes smiling at her. Her large, chocolate eyes looked sadly at him and he felt all the coldness and composure he usually held melt away. There were people everywhere, so he couldn't do much, but he wanted, really, really, wanted to give her a big hug.

He ended up giving her hand a small squeeze and a small smile found its way onto her face. Her eyes brightened just a bit and she gave him a quick nod before turning away and joining the group gathered around Temari. She was calling off names, making sure everyone was present.

"Examinees will travel with their team. Examiners will travel in groups of four. Stay together. The trip should be easy, but be careful anyways", she began.

"Let's go see them off at the gate", Sakura grinned, tugging Ino behind her. They, along with a whole mess of other villagers, made their way to the main gates of Konoha. Temari was leading at the front; Shikamaru lagging at the end.

Ino leaned against the one of the large poles supporting the entrance to the village and Sakura stood beside her. They began chatting as the group of Chunnin examiners and examinees passed by. In the midst of the conversation, while Sakura chatted happily about a new book she'd found, a figure stepped up beside Ino in a casual, familiar manner. It whispered something so quietly she wasn't sure if she was imagining it.

"It must have been troublesome, but the new look is nice"

* * *

Tenten was walking uncomfortably between Chouji and Shino. Her new teammates had been nice enough, but she'd suddenly realized that her old team, her _own_ team, wouldn't be there with her. Sure, she was supposed to be able to do things on her own, and really, she could, but the lack of comfort was making her… well, uncomfortable.

Neither Chouji nor Shino were very talkative- Chouji offered to share his chips with her, as long as it wasn't the last chip in the bag, and Shino made sure nothing dangerous in the forest approached them- but they really weren't talkative. She supposed she should have been used to it, since Neji wasn't too talkative either, but there was still something different about the atmosphere.

She missed Gai and Lee's insane babbling, missed the impossible tasks they assigned themselves to, missed the way Neji rolled his eyes at their ridiculous teammates. It was silent in the forest, with the occasional chirping of a few birds, rustle of leaves, and of course, footsteps crunching on the leaves.

They'd decided as a group to travel like civilians, taking their time to walk instead of traveling by tree. It was a lot more relaxing and Temari had decided there was no need to rush.

As Tenten walked, taking in her surroundings, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"You ok?" Shikamaru walked up between her and Chouji.

"Yeah", she nodded and smiled at the younger shinobi.

"Alright", he didn't continue to question her and she was glad. Shikamaru was very perceptive, clever, and if he'd wanted to, he could easily have seen through her.

"We're setting up camp for the night!" Temari announced from the front of the group. The travelers began murmuring amongst themselves, unpacking their supplies.

Tenten found a spot near a cluster of trees and her two new teammates followed her. They arranged themselves into a comfy, triangle shape and Tenten felt slightly better. Maybe, just maybe, the exam wouldn't be that bad. Besides, Neji had promised to come watch her at the last exams, that is, if she made it that far. And Lee and Gai-sensei would be there too! She was able to quickly cheer herself up with these thoughts.

* * *

As Ino and Sakura watched the group disappear into the forest, Sakura couldn't help noticing a small smile on her friend's face. Well, friend was a loosely used word.

"Why so smug?" she asked casually, tilting her head to one side.

Ino looked like she was a little kid who'd been caught stealing cookies. "I'm not being smug", she replied quickly. A little too quickly.

"You're kidding me", Sakura rolled her eyes, then began walking back towards the center of the village. Ino followed her, trying hard to think of what next to say, but Sakura beat her to it, "And what's with the new outfit?"

"Just a change", Ino shrugged.

"Mmhm", Sakura gave her a 'I-so-don't-believe-you' look, then turned away.

"Fine. I just thought I'd go for a more mature look, you know? What do you think?"

"Actually, I think it's nice", Sakura admitted, "I want to look more like a woman too".

"Yeah? Yeah, it _would_ do you some good, forehead girl", Ino muttered.

"WHAT?!" Sakura lunged at her friend, "YOU TAKE THAT BACK! INO-PIG!"

"Are you pulling my hair?! Get your hands off my hair, or I'm not helping you find a new look!" Ino shrieked, jerking away from Sakura's grasp. The two girls were locked onto each other, hands tugging at the other's hair, angry fire burning in their eyes. With one final look at each other, they burst out laughing.

"So, come over?" Sakura grinned as Ino ran a hand through her hair.

"Yeah, hopefully, you'll have something to work with", Ino agreed. They laughed again, and the amiable atmosphere returned as they walked towards Sakura's home, side by side, the way they'd done many years ago when they were best friends.

* * *

COMING NEXT TIME Chunnin exams begin! Shikamaru and Temari as awesome examiners (These two are a lot smarter than people take them to be) Ino and Sakura's hunt for Sakura's new look (Which is just going to be the one we all see in Shippuuden, because, you know, this is like the bridge between the first and second Naruto) YAY!!


	22. Chapter 21

WOOT! OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL!!

Sorry for lack of update. I have no idea what's going on lately- been so outta it. I think some reviews would help, though XD

* * *

Chapter 21

Shikamaru sat glumly beside Temari in the examiner room, staring at the head examiner as he drone on and on.

As his head drooped even more, he sensed a shadow stepping over him. Beside him, Temari looked up apprehensively as one of the older examiners began speaking to them.

"You two will be part of the first exam", he ordered, "sit according to this seating chart and catch the cheaters". He handed a folded sheet of paper to Shikamaru and motioned for Temari to look at it as well.

The diagram on the paper showed a room with row after row of tables, and two long rows of chairs against the windows. Examiner names were written beside each of the chairs, indicating their seating. Shikamaru found his to be in a corner of the room; Temari's was on the opposite side, near the center.

"Just catch the cheaters, huh?" Temari smirked. She could still remember clearly her own experiences in the Chunnin exams.

"The examinees get smarter each year", Shikamaru let out a dry laugh, "but so do we".

"What do you think we'll see this time?" Temari sounded amused.

"How about 'what do you think we'll _catch_ this time'?" Shikamaru corrected, giving her a slight smirk.

Temari's eyes lit up in response and it was quite obvious that an idea had popped into her head. "What are you thinking…?" Shikamaru asked slowly, looking at her with question.

"We're supposed to catch the cheaters, right? Just _catch _them? Does it matter how we do it?" she answered with a few questions of her own.

"I don't think it matters", Shikamaru thought for a moment, "the whole point is to weed out the genin who aren't ready. And if they can't even pass this exam without being caught, then they're not ready".

"Good. Then I just thought of something we can do to catch more cheaters", Temari grinned.

"I'm listening…"

* * *

Sakura did a full turn around her room, taking in the mess that she and Ino had created.

"I can't even find my bed anymore", she wrinkled her nose.

"Oh, don't worry. We can get to the cleaning later", Ino shrugged.

"You know, I wasn't even aware that I had all these clothes", Sakura commented lightly, turning back to her friend.

"Of course not. You used to care so much about your appearance, trying to hide your huge forehead and all. Remember the red ribbon I gave you? What happened? After we became genin, you just stopped caring about how you looked".

"Really?" Sakura asked softly. She thought hard for a moment, then gasped, "Of course! It was during our first Chunnin exam. Those shinobi… and Sasuke got bitten… and that one girl grabbed my hair and… "

"When you cut off your hair, huh?" Ino murmured softly, "I was hiding in the bushes, too much of a coward to come out. Well, at first. But then… "

"Yeah, the three of you did a pretty good job", Sakura smiled.

"So that was it, then?"

"Yeah, I realized, if I were to keep my hair long and focus so much on how I looked, I wouldn't attract Sasuke-kun, because he wanted someone who was strong".

"Yeah…"

"Well, no, not really", Sakura corrected herself, "he only wanted revenge".

"Sakura, do you think about him often?" Ino asked. She moved over to Sakura's bed, pushed some clothes out of the way, and sat down. This was Sakura's cue that the question was serious. She approached the bed as well, sat down, and nodded.

"How often?" Ino's voice was gentle. As shallow as her own infatuation with Sasuke had been, she still missed him. But for Sakura, who'd been on the same team as him, who'd been there to watch him suffer before leaving, it must have been many times worse.

"I don't know. Whenever I have spare time, I guess", Sakura sighed, "I keep myself busy so that there isn't time to dwell on the past. I mean, we're supposed to be training to get stronger, so we can bring him back, right?"

"Right", Ino smiled. Sakura was smiling too, but her eyes were sad. "Alright, no more wasting time", Ino jumped up, "we still haven't put something together. You said you wanted to look more like a woman, right?"

"Y-yeah", Sakura quickly wiped a tear that had slipped down her cheek, hoping Ino hadn't seen.

"Ok, then, let's start over. We've got all these clothes out here…"

Ino continued to talk as Sakura slipped into her own world. She allowed her friend to wander around the room, putting together outfits, while she stared out the window. She felt rather silly for becoming so upset over something like this, because really, it'd been a while since she'd seen Sasuke, or even heard anything about him. But, still, the memories were so strong she couldn't push them away. Everything was so vivid, so…

"Sakura?"

Sakura jumped as Ino placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her friend with concerned eyes.

"You're blanking out", Ino accused, "I thought we were going to -"

"Um, you know, I'm tired. Maybe we should do this another day", Sakura said suddenly, "I'll just clean things up later. Thanks, Ino".

The blonde look at her friend strangely, but understood the underlying meaning of her words. "Alright, I can tell you need alone time. Sorry for bringing up the subject", she murmured.

Sakura nodded and watched as Ino let herself out of the room. Then, when everything was silent again, she cried. She finally allowed her walls to break down and cried.

* * *

The exam started. Shikamaru had expected to be bored out of his mind, but Temari managed to surprise him quite a bit. She'd developed a system between the two of them that consisted of blinking as the main means of communication. A blink of the left eye meant the first row, two blinks meant the second. A blink of the right eye meant the first person on the right, two blinks… well, it was a rather easy system to understand.

What made the plan work was the fact that the two of them were seated on opposite sides of the room. This ensured that there were no areas of the room to be missed. Shikamaru had laughed aloud, a rare action for him, when Temari suggested that they rank the level of cheating. Just for fun, she added. He thought the idea was ridiculous at first, but she reminded him that her own brother had cheated, been caught, but still allowed to continue.

Shikamaru searched his memory and found this to be true. It was incredibly clever, at the time, anyways. Kankuro had set one of his puppets as an examiner so it could collect information. Then, he'd asked to go the restroom, even enabling speech for the puppet so it could tell him that it had to follow him. All to make it more realistic, right?

Everything worked, of course. Kankuro got the answers, passed them on to Temari, and did everything within the time limit. Thing was, the head examiner had seen through it all.

Shikamaru smirked at the memory. Temari was right. These exceptional methods of cheating- no, "information gathering"- had to be rewarded. So, he'd agreed, that if they thought the manner of cheating for an examinee was interesting enough, they would reward the genin, but keep closer watch during the other exams.

* * *

Sakura knew that, as much as she wanted to, and as good as it felt to let everything out, she couldn't sit around and cry all day.

She was due at the Hokage's office in an hour or so and she'd never been late before. Against her body's wishes, Sakura hoisted herself off her bed and walked into her bathroom. Her reflection in the mirror looked horrible.

_Crying shouldn't be an option for me_, she thought, staring at her puffy red eyes. She didn't really know how to "unpuff" her eyes, so Sakura simply splashed some cold water on her face, then returned to her room.

The outfit she had on was wrinkled and tear stained. Definitely not something she would wear in front of Tsunade-sama. So, not really thinking straight, Sakura grabbed the nearest clothes that Ino had strewn all over the room and put them on. It wasn't until after she was halfway down the hall that she realized the clothes she had on could actually make a great new look.

Of course, they needed some fine tuning. Sakura recognized this as an opportunity to clear her mind and focus on something more relevant to the present, so she hurried back to her room and began sorting through the mess of clothes lying around.

She was currently in a black skirt, with leggings underneath and a rather simple top. She tugged on a pair of boots and looked at herself in the mirror. Maybe some elbow protection.. or… gloves! Sakura tossed on a few more articles of clothing, then returned to the mirror.

It wasn't perfect, and Ino would probably have a fit, but she was satisfied. Besides, if she waited any longer, she'd be late.

* * *

Two minutes into the exam. Neither Shikamaru nor Temari had caught sight of any cheaters. They occasionally exchanged bored glances at each other, then went back to looking around the room.

Shikamaru always followed a pattern he'd set. Look at the front of the room, look at the back, then scan the center. Every time he looked at the center of the room, he'd catch a glimpse of Temari. Sometimes she was looking back at him, sometimes she was not.

This time, however, Shikamaru noticed something strange. There was an irregular glare of light that hit the wall behind Temari at moments, then it would disappear for a few seconds before returning to the same spot.

He frowned.

The light was no bigger than a shuriken, in the shape of a rectangle. Shikamaru scrunched up his eyebrow and looked closer, suddenly realizing it was reflected light. His eyes followed the reflection to its source and a smirk grew onto his features.

_Aha, a cheater_.

He caught Temari's eye and blinked with his left eye. 8th row. Two blinks with the right. The cheater was only a seat away from the side of the room where Temari sat. She blinked with both eyes, signaling that she understood. He returned the gesture, then turned away.

Temari brought her attention to the young shinobi that Shikamaru had hinted to and watched him carefully. He was sitting normally, head facing forward and tilted down slightly to look at his paper. His hand moved for a few moments, then stopped, then started again, as if he were pausing for a few moments to read the next question.

But something was off. His head was positioned awkwardly every time he read a question and Temari quickly realized he wasn't looking at the paper. The genin was wearing his forehead protector on his arm, much like the way Shikamaru did. The only difference was that the metallic part was facing the opposite direction.

Every time the boy moved his arms, the forehead protector reflected a spot of light. At one point, the light hit Temari in the eye and she quickly blinked. But this was enough for her to gather the information she needed.

"Number 215, you're out!" She called. The genin jumped, then looked warily at her before dropping his pencil. His hand went unconsciously to the forehead protector around his arm and Temari smirked.

He'd been using the reflective portion of the band to see the paper of the examinee behind him. It would have worked well, had it not been for the brightly lit room with sunlight streaming in. It was the light's reflection that gave the genin away.

Across the room, Shikamaru watched as the genin left the room, shoulders hunched, head down. He cast a quick look at Temari, who gave him a triumphant smile. They quickly averted eyes after that and returned to their duties.

* * *

The next time they caught someone, it was Temari who signaled Shikamaru. Her eyes had simply been passing over the area when Shikamaru called out, "Number 105. you're out!"

She saw the examiner beside Shikamaru jump a little. Perhaps it was because it'd been so quiet for a while, that the examiner was simply startled by the noise. But something still didn't feel right.

Catching Shkamaru's eye, she began blinking signals. But they'd reached a flaw in the plan. The suspicious examiner was sitting beside Shikamaru, not in the rows of examinees. She tried anyways.

There were 20 rows, but she blinked 21 times. Shikamaru looked at the end of the room, obviously realizing there wasn't a 21st row. Temari continued blinking- the 12th person in that row. Shikamaru frowned. His eyes rested on the examiner beside him and he subtlety tilted his head, asking Temari if this was the person she was pointing out. She blinked once with both yes. He understood.

Shikamaru lowered his head slightly, as if he were tired, then looked out of the corner of his eye. An _examiner_ seemed suspicious? What did that mean?

The examiner wasn't sitting with the confidence or poise that the rest of the examiners had and Shikamaru took note of this. But at the same time, she could have just been new at the whole thing. He studied the examiner beside him carefully. She seemed quite young, with a unique red colored hair. Her hands gripped the clipboard in her lap and her feet moved nervously, rubbing against the floor.

Definitely suspicious.

A few seats away, an examiner called two cheaters out and Shikamaru watched as the girl jumped slightly. It still didn't make sense, though. She couldn't have been a cheater if she was sitting here. That was a bit too obvious.

Shikamaru looked back at Temari with a questioning look and she blinked back at him. Three with the right, five with the left. Shikamaru looked, then suddenly understood.

There was a girl sitting in the seat Temari had pointed out, who had the same strange shade of hair as the so-called examiner beside him. _Shadow clone. _He nodded once to himself, then placed his hands together, forming a few seals. A shadow grew from under him and attached itself to the examiner beside him.

Shikamaru quickly jabbed himself in the stomach with his elbow and watched with satisfaction as the girl beside him was forced to do the same. A second later, she disappeared into a puff of smoke, causing the entire room to break into noise.

A few rookies sounded frightened- was there an attack? What had just "poofed"? Over the noise, Shikamaru called out the red hair girl and she stood up, pouted, then left the room. The head examiner was trying unsuccessfully to get the genin to settle down and Temari watched with amusement as the genin panicked amongst themselves.

A few were convinced this was a part of the exam, a few were trying to ignore the commotion and return to their work, and a few were just completely lost. But as she glanced across the room, Temari noticed that, amidst the chaos, one genin was taking full advantage of the distraction.

_Interesting…_ she thought, _he's using the opportunity fully. _She guessed the genin was probably a rookie, as he looked quite young. His green eyes were darting quickly and carefully from his paper to the ones around him. None of his neighbors seemed to notice, as they were turned in various directions, confused. Temari saw that even some of the examiners, who were trying to settle down the examinees, were blind to the obvious acts of cheating.

_Well, Shikamaru _did_ agree to award those who were… hmmm…_ Temari tilted her head to one side, thought for a moment, then grinned to herself. She would let it slide. She quickly studied the boy and memorized his appearance. Plain brown hair, and dressed in a rather generic blue shinobi outfit. But his green eyes, which had been skillfully searching for answers, were engraved in her mind.

"ANYONE WHO MAKES ANY MORE NOISE WILL FAIL AUTOMATICALLY!" The head examiner had resorted to yelling and almost immediately, the room fell silent. The genin turned back to their tables and Temari settled back into her seat. Not another noise was made from then until the end of the exam.

When all the genin who passed had emptied out of the room, Shikamaru found his way over to Temari and nodded at her. She stood up and followed him out the door, where he asked, "Catch anyone and let them go?"

"There was this one kid", Temari began. Shikamaru looked at her expectantly, urging her to go on. "Yeah, when you revealed the girl who made that shadow clone, the room got all crazy. But that kid- oh, wait", Temari darted away quickly as she saw the green eyed kid walk by.

"Excuse me", he mumbled when she nearly ran into him.

"Hey, that was pretty good", Temari grinned. The young boy recognized the examiner outfit she was wearing and his eyes suddenly grew wide.

"What do you mean?" he played dumb, but it was pitifully unbelievable.

"I didn't call you out because you took advantage of the situation, you know", Temari shrugged, giving him a reassuring smile, "That's something shinobi should do".

"Oh", the boy was stuttering now, "th-thank you".

Temari returned to Shikamaru, looking quite smug. "It was that kid", she told him, "Took advantage of everything that was going on and got what he needed".

"Smart", Shikamaru nodded, "but how would he fare in the next round?"

"Yeah, it'll be interesting".

* * *

Tenten breathed in deeply as she stared at the large structure in front of her. She had no idea what it was and could only guess that it was the result of some sort of jutsu. It was basically a large cavern, erected from the ground by some unnatural means. There were entrances along the outer perimeter of the cavern, one assigned to each team.

They hadn't received any instructions from the examiners since they'd passed the first exam, which, in Tenten's opinion, was the only easy part of the whole deal. They were told to wait outside the structure, until further instructions were given.

"So, when are we going, again?" Chouji walked over, eating out of a bag of chips.

"The exam starts in an hour", Tenten replied, "we're waiting for them to bring the scrolls".

"Mmhm, right", Chouji crunched in reply.

Shino stirred slightly and Tenten turned to see what he was doing. Once she did, she wished she hadn't. Swarms of bugs emerged from his sleeves and dove to the ground, falling inconspicuously into the grass.

"What are you-"

"Scouting out the area", Shino cut her off.

"What?"

"It means he's gathering information about -"

"I know, Chouji, I know what that means", Tenten sighed, "but is that allowed?"

"Why not?" Shino shrugged. Almost immediately, an image of Lee telling everyone to follow the rules popped into Tenten's mind and she quickly held back a laugh, lest her teammates think she was insane.

"It's a weird place we're going to go in", Chouji commented casually, "so it'd help if we had some hint".

"Yeah, weird", Tenten agreed, looking back at the structure in front of them. If she didn't know better, she'd say it was an indoor maze. But, of course, nothing could be that easy in these exams.

"Eh, we'll be fine", Chouji finished the last chip and grinned.

"Yeah, hopefully", Tenten sighed.

* * *

NEXT TIME: the second exam. I have a feeling this will be interesting to write, because it won't be in a forest like it normally is.


End file.
